Medicaid

Keep Pennsylvania Covered Quilt Showcases Public's Support for Medicare, Medicaid

The Pennsylvania Health Access Network stood with local seniors, persons with disabilities and advocates at Senator Toomey’s office on Monday, Nov. 21st, to showcase public support for Medicare and Medicaid on the day the Congressional Super Committee announced it was unable to reach agreement on a plan to reduce the nation’s deficit by $1.2 trillion.

House GOP Declares War on Health Care, Turns Its Back on Seniors, Children and People with Disabilities in 2012 Budget Proposal

Submitted by Erin Gill on April 6, 2011 - 4:04pm

Plan Would Privatize Medicare, Turn Medicaid into Block Grant Program and Cut All Funding for Affordability Subsidies and Medicaid Expansion in the Affordable Care Act

Remember the political hay that opponents of health reform made by scaring the daylights out of seniors with relentless TV and radio ads that spread the lies that the Affordable Care Act would negatively impact Medicare? Well, now seniors (and everyone else) have reason to be afraid… Very afraid, and angry, and ready to fight back.

FMAP extension bill passes, but potential problems loom

Submitted by Anonymous on August 13, 2010 - 2:39pm

As you hopefully heard, the House of Representatives passed important
pieces of legislation earlier this week that included $16 million worth
of funding for Pennsylvania to help pay for Medicaid (FMAP extension),
as well as a $10 billion bill that allows teachers to stay in the
classroom.

Urge Congress to Fulfill Their Obligation and Fund State Medicaid Programs!

Submitted by Alison Hirsch on June 21, 2010 - 11:08pm

Senate Republicans are fillibustering H.R. 4213, the Jobs Act of 2010, which would extend federal aid to state Medicaid programs. Beyond the fact that they were supposedly against the practice of fillibustering. they've taken a truly indefensible position: opposing the extension of unimployment benefits and COBRA (the insurance of last resort for the unemployed), as well as adequate funding for Medicare. The end result of this obstinacy is that more than half the states, including PA, will have to go back to the drawing board on their budgets.

Rendell proposes modest expansion of adultBasic

Submitted by pahealth on February 13, 2009 - 3:36pm

Governor Ed Rendell, speaking February 4 to the joint session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, described his budget plan for the fiscal year that will begin July 1, 2009. One of the items in his plan is a modest expansion of adultBasic, the state-subsidized health insurance plan for uninsured adults.

Currently that program serves around 45,000 individuals with 180,000 on the waiting list. According to a PA Department of Insurance survey released January 29, nearly 900,000 working-age Pennsylvanians were without health insurance during the period September, 2007 through May, 2008.

Using Medicaid to meet health needs during the recession

Submitted by pahealth on December 29, 2008 - 4:36pm

When the 111th Congress begins work in January, its first order of business will be passage of a stimulus package to help the economy get moving again.

During economic downturns, the Medicaid program (called Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania) is one of the tools Congress can use to stimulate the economy while also helping average people hang on until better times return.

Recession threatens health safety net

Submitted by pahealth on December 18, 2008 - 4:11pm

Unemployment often leads to the loss of health care coverage. That's because most people are enrolled in health insurance through their employers. While under COBRA they can continue coverage after being laid-off, without wages people can not afford the cost of the health insurance premiums.

Pennsylvania legislators considering cuts in Medicaid

Submitted by pahealth on November 14, 2008 - 6:56pm

A looming state budget deficit and the sour economy could lead to spending cuts in Pennsylvania's Medicaid program, according to a November 10th article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Medicaid provides health care coverage to nearly two million Pennsylvanians who have very low incomes. In addition to poverty, recipients must demonstrate they fit a category of eligibility. The primary categories are the elderly, disabled, children, and pregnant women.