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For Immediate Release
February 2, 2009
Contact: Sally Kohr
(717) 787-4651

Senator Alloway Supports Health Care Plan to Reduce Costs, Expand Access to Uninsured Pennsylvanians

HARRISBURG – Uninsured and low-income Pennsylvanians could benefit from improved access to quality health care through the HealthNET PA plan, according to Senator Richard Alloway II (R-33).

HealthNET PA, a package of 15 bills introduced by Senate Republicans, would give uninsured Pennsylvanians more community-based care options and reduce the number of patient visits to the emergency room for non-emergent care. In addition, the plan would utilize information technology to improve the delivery of care and control health care costs.

It is estimated that the $100 million initiative would expand access to health care and medicine to 507,000 uninsured and low-income working Pennsylvanians at a fraction of the cost of other state and national proposals, Alloway said.

“Many families across the nation are struggling with the rising costs of health care, and recent job losses in the state have exposed even more families to gaps in coverage,” Alloway said. “The HealthNET PA plan presents a common-sense approach to lower health care costs and ensure that more families have access to the vital care they need.”

The HealthNET PA package includes legislation that would: 

• Establish 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.
• Implement 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.
• Create a registry of free prescription drugs.
• Allow retail establishment pharmacies to sell prescription drugs at a minimal cost, such as $4.
• Help hospitals and doctors' offices convert to Electronic Medical Records, boost evidence-based diagnosis and treatment protocols, and encourage Telemedicine expansion.
• Permit health insurers to withhold payment to providers in the event of a medical error.
• Allow employers to establish "Healthy Living Committees" qualifying for insurance discounts.
• Provide funding to reduce health care-associated infections.
• Provide "Mini-Cobra" coverage for small business employers. 
• Extend 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. 

For more information, including statistics, charts and useful links, please visit the HealthNET PA homepage at www.pasenategop.com/healthnet.htm.