NEWS HEADLINES:
Pennsylvania health insurance

Penn state rep says birth control mandate like Pearl Harbor and 9/11

August 3, 2012

Over the top? Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) in his criticism of the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that private insurance companies cover birth control, likened it to the most devastating military and terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

“I know in your mind, you can think of the times America was attacked,” he said, adding “one is Dec. 7, that’s Pearl Harbor Day. The other is Sept. 11, and that’s the day the terrorists attacked. I want you to remember Aug. 1, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates.”

Is Kelly right in arguing that providing women easier access to birth control is an assault on American sensibilities? Read more and decide.

Why Refusing Medicaid Expansion Could Kill Pennsylvania’s Hospitals

July 15, 2012

PhillyNow – As Pennsylvanians gear up for Gov. Corbett’s decision on whether to accept the federal government’s Medicaid expansion (a state-optional portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to the Supreme Court’s ruling) in Pennsylvania, it would help to understand that without that expansion, Pennsylvania hospitals will likely suffer huge financial costs.

Don’t repeal ‘Obamacare’: Health care reform is helping millions of Pennsylvanians

July 11, 2012

Pittsburgh Post Gazette – Thanks to the law, all Americans with insurance are now protected from some of the insurance industry’s worst abuses, like having their coverage canceled when they get sick just because they made a mistake on an application, or facing a lifetime dollar cap on benefits. Already, 4.6 million Pennsylvania residents, including 1.8 million women and 1.1 million children, are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage.

Pennsylvania health insurance exchange stalled

July 8, 2012

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Despite repeated statements supporting a state-run exchange, Pennsylvania will likely end up with the Department of Health & Human Services handling at least some exchange functions.

Still in evaluation mode for health insurance exchange

July 2, 2012

The Patriot-News — Pennsylvania officials waited for the Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act officials. Now, they are trying to understand the decision and are still “not ready to commit to next steps,” according a state Insurance Department spokesperson.

Federal grant money for Penn. health insurance exchange untouched

June 30, 2012

The Morning Call — Pennsylvania received a nearly $34 million grant in February, but has yet to start spending the money to establish an exchange.

Some States May Continue With Exchanges, Reform Law or Not

April 16, 2012

AISHealth–Regardless of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding the Affordable Care Act, many states have the infrastructure and ability to continue creating a state-run health insurance exchange.

Pa. faces time crunch in setting up health insurance exchange

April 4, 2012

Pittsburgh Business Times–Pennsylvania bureaucrats and legislators have their work cut out for them if they are to get a state health insurance exchange up and running by the January 2013 deadline.

HHS Awards 10 States With Exchange Establishment Grants

February 22, 2012

Governing.com–A total of $230 million was given to ten states by the federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services. The money will be used to aid the development of health insurance exchanges in those states.

State setting up health insurance exchange

November 23, 2011

The Morning Call – Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration says it’s moving ahead with plans to establish a state-run health insurance exchange. At least 2 million residents are expected to use it.

State isn’t sure about health exchanges

July 12, 2011

The Morning Call – Pennsylvania governor opposes health reform in general, and insurance official says state may opt out of exchange.

States begin taking applications for federal risk pool Thursday

June 30, 2010

North Carolina, Montana and Pennsylvania are among the states that could begin accepting applications for a new federal high-risk insurance pool that will offer coverage to uninsured patients with pre-existing conditions. Some states like Vermont are scrambling to meet the July 1 federal mandate. Read more news about high-risk insurance pools.

Unemployed face rise in health care

June 3, 2010

Daily Times – Health-care premiums for millions of unemployed Americans could triple with the expiration of government subsidies to the COBRA program.

Read more about COBRA health insurance coverage.

Uninsured more likely to die in ICU

May 24, 2010

WHYY – In Pennsylvania, hospital intensive care units are less likely to provide some common, and potentially life-saving, treatments to people who are uninsured. The study from researchers at Penn Medicine also found that patients who are covered by health insurance are less likely to die in the ICU, compared with patients with no coverage.

Deaths Rising for Lack of Insurance, Study Finds

February 26, 2010

The New York Times – As members of the Obama administration and Congress met on Thursday to try to find common ground on health care, a new report warned that without comprehensive legislation, more than 275,000 adults nationwide will die over the next decade because of a lack of health insurance. Nearly 14,000 of those deaths would occur in New York State.

From PA to DC: A March for Health Care Reform

February 22, 2010

Public News Service – A determined group of people who left Pennsylvania on foot late last week is now in the middle of a march to Washington, demanding that Congress turn debate into action on health care reform. Marc Stier, Pennsylvania state director for the organization Health Care For America Now, says the ‘March to the Finish Line for Melanie,’ as it’s called, is a tribute to Melanie Shouse, an activist who died recently from breast cancer.

Obama’s challenge: Selling health reform to the middle class

June 30, 2009

Philly.com – From the beginning, President Barack Obama and his top advisers have sought to portray health care reform not just as another costly entitlement for the poor, but as part of a larger effort to ease the burden of mounting medical costs for the middle class.

Pennsylvania community health centers to receive additional $9.4 M

March 27, 2009

Philadelphia Business Journal – Pennsylvania will receive $9.4 million in stimulus funds for expansion of community health centers, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday.