Pennsylvania Senate Republicans unveil health care plans

Pennsylvania Senate Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a health care proposal that would enhance care provided at community health centers and create a high-risk pool for state residents who are unable to obtain health coverage elsewhere, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Raffaele, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/10).

The proposal, called HealthNET PA, also would allow physicians to receive continuing education credits for volunteering to provide care to the uninsured, establish a loan forgiveness program to encourage physicians to practice in the state and create incentives to help low-income uninsured patients or their physician obtain no-cost prescription drugs (Fahy/Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/11).

Under the plan, people who are denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions could be insured through a high-risk pool, in which members would pay 66% of their premiums and the state would contribute the rest (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/10). In addition, the Republicans' plan would create a program to allow former employees to continue to receive coverage through companies with fewer than 20 workers.

The plan also contains some elements of state Democrats' health care bill, such as provisions that would promote electronic health records, allow insurers to refuse payment for preventable medical errors that result in serious health problems and allow children to remain on their parents' medical coverage until age 30.

The Republicans' plan would cost about $100 million annually and would be funded with surpluses in a fund used to assist physicians in paying their medical malpractice insurance (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/11). Half of the money would fund tax credits for businesses that donate money for the expansion of community health clinics and $5 million would go toward tax credits for people who enroll in health savings accounts. By comparison, the cost of the Democratic plan, called Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care, is expected to exceed $1 billion by fiscal year 2012-2013 (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/10).