May 30th, 2008

After opposing a bill to expand Pennsylvania’s health coverage to uninsured adults, the Senate’s Democratic minority leader is now optimistic lawmakers can pass a compromise measure before the term ends in June, reports the Times-Tribune. Reporter Daniel Axelrod continues:

“But the Senate Republican majority leader opposes the bill, and he vowed his party’s caucus will introduce its own legislative package in June to make health coverage more affordable and accessible.

Until this week, Senate Minority Leader Robert Mellow, D-Peckville, publicly opposed the bill, voiced numerous concerns and questioned how the state would pay to insure an additional 270,000 adults.

He now says he supports passing some version of the “Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care” (PA ABC) program, SB 1137, after finding viable ways for the state to pay for the measure, which the House passed in March. ”