Senate Republicans Urge Action on Plan to Boost Community Health Care, Cut Costs, Expand Access
 

Senate Republicans are renewing their efforts to improve health care access and expand Pennsylvania’s health care safety net through the HealthNET PA legislative package. HealthNET PA expands access to health care and medicine to uninsured and low-income working Pennsylvanians more quickly, and at a fraction of the cost of other state and national proposals. HealthNET PA is a $100 million blueprint that expands access to health care and medicine to 507,000 uninsured and low-income working Pennsylvanians. It utilizes information technology to control costs and reduce health care-associated infections, and provides expanded insurance options for employers and families.

Senators Unveil HealthNET PA Plan

Senate Majority Leader Pileggi and Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Erickson Visit Crozer-Chester Medical Center to Discuss HealthNET PA

Erickson, Browne Visit Allentown Health Clinic

Senate Majority Leader Pileggi, Senator Eichelberger Discuss HealthNET PA at Altoona Medical Center

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Features of the HealthNET PA package include the following (complete list here):

• Improving Access to Health Care and Medicines

  • Establishing the Community-Based Healthcare Program for the expansion and site development of health care clinics across Pennsylvania to provide "medical homes" for 175,000 working poor clients and ease pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

  • Implementing a physician/health care facility volunteer program through which an additional 159,000 uninsured patients would be assigned to a primary or specialty care physician, with access to free specialty care, labs and inpatient hospital care.

  • Creating a registry of free prescription drugs and allowing retail establishment pharmacies to sell prescription drugs at a minimal cost, such as $4.

• Making Health Care More Affordable

  • Helping hospitals and doctors' offices convert to Electronic Medical Records, boosting evidence-based diagnosis and treatment protocols, and encouraging Telemedicine expansion.

  • Permitting health insurers to withhold payment to providers in the event of a medical error, and allowing employers to establish "Healthy Living Committees" qualifying for insurance discounts.

  • Providing funding of a critical cost-saver – the reduction of health care-associated infections.

• Expanding Insurance Coverage

  • Providing "Mini-Cobra" coverage for small business employers, creating a high-risk pool for individuals who cannot access other coverage, and extending the option of dependent coverage to age 30. (Nearly half of uninsured Pennsylvanians are age 18-34.)

  • Provide $5 million in state tax credits for the use of Health Savings Accounts.
     

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Funding HealthNET PA
HealthNET PA will be funded through existing sources. Approximately $225 million is annually deposited into the Health Care Provider Retention Account from the current cigarette tax and the CAT Fund surcharge. An estimated $125 million a year is needed to fully fund the current MCARE abatement, which makes the remaining $100 million available for HealthNET PA.

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Experts Comment on the Role of Health Centers in Providing Care for Low-Income and Uninsured Pennsylvanians

Dr. Zane Gates, Medical Director, Partnering for Health Services, Altoona

"Most of the health insurance bestowed upon the working poor will cover only catastrophic events rather than routine preventive care visits. It is much more cost effective to delay the inevitable complications of such diseases such as hypertension and diabetes with routine office visits instead of lengthy and costly hospital stays that drain the entire health care system.
In my opinion, there is a system already in place that provides quality preventive medicine at a fraction of the cost: free clinics." 

Cindy Christ, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers

"Community health centers have an infrastructure that can adapt and survive the challenges of a transformational health care environment. These mission-driven, non-profit organizations are a significant part of the Commonwealth health care delivery system and can provide a major boost to safety net efforts." 

Kathy Scullin, Vice President Crozer-Keystone Health System, Upland

"The hospital-based clinics have complete integration with the hospital including a professional staff with admitting privileges at the hospital. The clinics also have a medical record system that is fully integrated with the hospital's medical record system." 

Ed Pitchford, President & CEO Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, Coudersport

"I submit to you that it is sound public policy to sustain these institutions through carefully constructed and maintained government-supported programs such as critical access hospitals, RHCs (Rural Health Clinics), FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers), loan forgiveness programs, and other incentive programs for healthcare providers to locate and remain in rural Pennsylvania."