June 18th, 2008

Yesterday Gov. Rendell stated that working out the main components of a healthcare plan to help the state’s uninsured is probably going to have to wait until September, when the lawmakers return for fall session, reports the Morning Call. Rendell sees this as an advantage, as the nearing Nov. election will prompt legislators to work a bit harder to “approve a conerstone of his second-term agenda.”   Although, he added that he would like to see some progress made on a compromise before members leave Harrisburg for their summer recess.

Rendell is pushing the Legislature to pass a House Democrat crafted the Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (PA ABC) plan, which would extend  health-insurance to 272,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians.  But, Republicans are up in arms over the price tag – 1.4 billion over five years, and also oppose higher taxes on cigarettes and new taxes on other tobacco products that would help fund the initiative.  Last week, the Senate GOP released their own $100 million HealthNET PA plan to help half a million residents – mainly through extended community clinics and volunteer doctor networks.

The Gov. stated that the introduction of the GOP plan “complicated the debate.”  However, after Rendell’s meeting with Legislative Leaders on Tuesday, the Morning Call reported that the parties were making “steady, if slow, progress on a host of budget-related issues, including health care, energy conservation and a mammoth infrastructure-rebuilding program.”