Rally Held In Support Of Pennsylvania Health Reform Plan; Proposal Still Met With Opposition

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 04 Oct 2007 - 6:00 PST

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Labor groups and health care advocates on Tuesday held a rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol to support Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell's (D) "Cover All Pennsylvanians" plan, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. A poll indicating voter support of comprehensive health care reform also is expected to be released (Worden, Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/2).

State Rep. Mike Sturla (D) and state Sen. Jay Costa (D) introduced bills in the state Legislature that would create Rendell's program (Wenner, Harrisburg Patriot-News, 10/3). The initiative would help uninsured adults and small businesses obtain basic coverage through private insurers. Premiums for the plans would be determined by a sliding scale based on income (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/19). The proposal would implement a 3% payroll tax on businesses that do not provide health benefits, a measure that "has already met opposition from business groups," according to the Patriot-News (Harrisburg Patriot-News, 10/3).

The initiative is the "centerpiece of Rendell's sweeping health care package," the Inquirer reports. Six other health-related bills that were part of that package already have been passed by state lawmakers.

State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R) said it is unlikely he will support the Cover All Pennsylvanians bill because of concerns regarding legality and whether it actually will reduce costs. Kevin Shivers, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business of Pennsylvania, and others maintain that the proposal would violate federal labor laws that give large corporations the right to set up uniform insurance rather than adhere to state laws.

However, Rendell and his administration said lawyers have confirmed that the state would be within its rights to impose the mandate, according to the Inquirer. Next week, Rendell will begin a cross-state bus tour to promote the health reform plan (Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/2).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.