Healthcare
On March 12, 2008, Babette cleared the first hurdle toward addressing the No. 1 issue for Pennsylvanians of all ages and income levels...affordable and accessible health care.
The full House gave its initial approval to the House Democrats' plan – Pennsylvania ABC (Access to Basic Care) – that would help hundreds of thousands of working Pennsylvanians without health insurance gain access to affordable coverage while continuing our commitment to helping doctors pay their medical malpractice insurance premiums.
Pennsylvania ABC would also help small business employers defray the cost of providing health coverage to their low-wage employees, as well as end the suffering of people who are denied private insurance because of a pre-existing condition.
Pennsylvania ABC would:
- Provide more than 270,000 uninsured working Pennsylvanians access to basic health care.
- Immediately provide affordable health insurance to the 80,000 Pennsylvanians who are on the adultBasic waiting list.
- Make $42 million available for grants to small business employers who have been doing the right thing all along by providing health-care coverage to their employees.
- Assist doctors by continuing to help them pay their medical malpractice insurance premiums.
- Lower the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals, which costs us 1.4 billion a year and adds hundreds of dollars to every insurance premium.
- Lower the cost of care for all Pennsylvanians.
Babette's commitment to reforming our health-care system to provide access to quality, affordable care to all Pennsylvanians took flight as she entered the majority in 2007.
Last year, House Democrats:
- Enacted landmark legislation to reduce hospital acquired infections that take thousands of lives each year
- Enacted a series of measures giving health-care professionals the chance to practice to the fullest extent of their skills and experience
- Enacted legislation to get kids off to a nutritionally sound start
- We continue to move forward with Pennsylvania ABC. Check back for updates on this groundbreaking plan to reform
- Pennsylvania's health-care system to benefit of all Pennsylvanians.