Pennsylvania’s House Human Services Committee vote to move HB 1492 forward could offer immediate budget savings
Harrisburg, PA – On Wednesday, June 4, the Pennsylvania House Human Services Committee, chaired by Representative Gene DiGirolamo (R-18, Bucks County), voted with significant bi-partisan support to approve House Bill 1492, which calls for real Medicaid Expansion, and a related amendment to offer immediate coverage to the existing Medicaid Expansion eligible population. The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.
Together, HB 1492 and its accompanying amendment would use federal funding and tax revenues as a bridge to immediately offer coverage to approximately 500,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians while the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services continues to evaluate Governor Corbett’s Healthy PA plan.
“Today’s bipartisan vote reaffirms that Medicaid Expansion is the best approach while supporting a commonsense solution to offer immediate coverage to 500,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians,” said Neal Bisno, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the state’s largest union of healthcare professionals. “Now it is up to the rest of the House to support HB 1492 so that thousands of Pennsylvanians can end their needless wait for healthcare coverage.”
With a projected $1.3 billion dollar budget shortfall, this proposal could also offer significant savings by immediately making available additional federal dollars and new tax revenue.
“Each day we fail to expand Medicaid, our state loses millions of dollars of sorely needed revenue that could be used to provide access to healthcare and thousands of jobs for the Commonwealth,” Bisno continued, “DiGirolamo’s approach could infuse upwards of $100 million in federal funding for this fiscal year which is an offer we cannot refuse given our current budget crisis.”
Background:
Representative Gene DiGirolamo (R-18, Bucks County), introduced HB 1492 on June 5, 2013 to expand Medicaid as called for by the Affordable Care Act.
Last month, Pennsylvania House Representative Pamela DeLissio (D-194, Philadelphia and Montgomery County), with the support of other House Democrats, issued a discharge resolution to bring HB 897 – which calls for real Medicaid Expansion – out of the Health Committee and onto the floor for a vote.
A recent poll by Public Policy Polling indicated that 59% of Pennsylvanian voters support the expansion of Medicaid, which would provide 500,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, provides 35,000 family-sustaining jobs and saves taxpayers $522 million in 2014. In contrast, Governor Corbett’s proposed alternative plan, Healthy PA, aims to increase costs and reduce access and benefits for current Medicaid beneficiaries while facing an uncertain approval process by the federal government.
By refusing to accept Medicaid Expansion, Governor Corbett is costing Pennsylvania $4.7 million per daily, according to an Independent Fiscal Office report. Last month, the Independent Fiscal Office released its initial revenue forecast for fiscal year 2014-15, projecting a year-end budget deficit topping $1 billion.
For more information, contact Amelia Abromaitis at Amelia.Abromaitis@
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SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is the state’s largest and fastest growing union of health care workers, representing 25,000 nurses, technicians, nursing assistants, and support staff in hospitals, nursing homes and public institutions across the Commonwealth. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is committed to improving the lives of health care workers and ensuring quality, affordable health care for all Pennsylvanians.