July 1st, 2009

Reports the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Democratic leaders in Pennsylvania hope to double the number of residents who receive state-sponsored health insurance, known as adultBasic, but Republicans fear the costs may be too high.

The Pennsylvania House on Monday voted, 104-98, in favor of HB 1, to increase the number of individuals receiving adultBasic from 45,000 to 90,000.

Republican leaders in the Senate say they might oppose the effort. Carolyn Scanlan, president and CEO of the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, also expressed reservations.

…

AdultBasic is designed for people who earn too much to qualify for poverty programs such as Medicaid but can’t afford insurance themselves.

An individual is eligible for adultBasic if he or she earns $21,600 or less; a family of four can earn $44,000 or less.

The program can’t begin to meet the rising need. The waiting list, officials say, is growing by 20,000 a month and projects 270,000 as of today.

A year ago, it was at 96,000.

Ann Torregrossa, director of the Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform, says the cost of expanding adultBasic – $130 million – will be paid with federal Medicaid funds available through a special waiver.

…

Republicans, however, say the expansion will cost state taxpayers money. They also question the wisdom of expanding the program when the state faces a $3 billion budget shortfall.

Read much more about the battle at the Inquirer.