Bills on the move: 3/23 -> 3/27

A bill sponsored by Rep. DeLuca passed unanimously in the House this week; while 2 HealthNET PA bills came out of the Senate, along with legislation that would reauthorize hospital and healthcare watchdog group PHC4

Weekly Wrap-up: 3/23 -> 3/27

With legislators returning this week there was more budget-related debate in the press between the Gov. and the GOP. Then on Wednesday, Attorney General Corbett announced new charges against former State Rep. Mike Veon, bringing calls from lawmakers to place stricter regulations on how state grant money is allocated.

Bills on the move: 3/16 -> 3/20

Rep. DeLuca’s bill for insurers to cover patients enrolled in cancer clinical trials passed the House unanimously, while the Senate Republicans HealthNET PA package is on the move in the Senate.

Weekly Wrap: 3/9 ->3/13

Last week, budget contention started to heat up as Gov. Rendell announced that he’s not happy with 3 of the 4 Legislative caucuses who have not responded to his October call to cut budget 4.25 % within their caucuses.

Legislative Wrap-up, Week 1/26 – 1/30

Week in Review

In this, the first week of session 2009, a number of movements were made on the healthcare front…

Weekly Wrap Up: 1/19 ->1/23

Although the Legislature was not in session this week, there were two startling announcements:
1. Independence Blue Cross and Highmark Blue Shield withdrew their application for a merger
2. Governor Rendell reported a $2.3 billion revenue shortfall and impending layoffs
Highmark & IBC sing the Blues
The last few days have seen an abundance of newspaper articles and editorials [...]

Weekly Wrap-up: 1/5 -> 1/9

Although state lawmakers came back to Harrisburg for swearing-in this week, voting session doesn’t begin until January 26th. This means that this week there were rule resolutions, meetings, some talk about new taxes this year, budget hearings announced…and well, more people in the Capitol than last week.

What’s goin’ on this week in the Capitol, 10/6 -> 10/8

Week of October 6
House
Committee Schedule
House Appropriations – Meetings have been sunshined for October 6, 7, and 8; no agendas announced
House Insurance
Monday, 10/6/08
Off the Floor, Room 39, East Wing
SB 1422 (White, D) – Amends the Insurance Company Law to create a mini-cobra small employer group health plan. 
SB 1453 (Corman) – Amends the Insurance Company Law [...]

Legislative Wrap-up 9/22 –> 10/3

Rendell scales back his health care plan and eliminates tobacco taxes as the source of funding, in an effort to create a compromise before session time runs out. Meanwhile, two Republican-backed initiatives to expand health insurance in PA unanimously passed the Senate last week and head to a House Committee for consideration. Time is also running out to reauthorize PHC4, as only 3 voting days remain for the Senate in this year’s session…

Weekly Wrap 9/15 –> 9/19

With the legislators returning from their summer break last week, there is so much to do and so little time…
Along with lawmakers attempting to work towards a compromise plan to help Pennsylvania’s uninsured, doctors and hospital officials met in the Capitol urging legislators to quickly pass MCARE  (a fund that helps physicians pay for their medical malpractice insurance) to keep doctors in [...]