PathWays PA Policy Blog

We're heading into another budget season - time to break out the spreadsheets and charts! Governor Wolf presented his budget today with a focus on education and jobs, with what both sides described as a bipartisan outlook  or at the very least places where both parties could find agreement . Overall, the budget increases spending by 4.2% (or $1.4 billion) compared to last year. Nearly $300 million would go towards increased education spending for K-12, special education, and state universities. Governor Wolf also proposed a higher minimum wage, raising the current rate of $7.25/hour to $12/hour by July and then increasing the wage over time until it reaches $15 in 2025. The last time the minimum wage increased in Pennsylvania was when the federal government increased the wage in 2009. Here are some of the articles we've been reading on the budget: Schools, farms and voting machines in Gov. Tom Wolf's budget sights Gov. Wolf unveils budget: more money for public ...

Updated 11/13/18 - Remember to take action before December 10! New resources below! On October 10, the Department of Homeland Security issued a new change to the public charge rule, which looks at how using public benefits affects a person's application to become a legal permanent resident (LPR) of the US. Essentially, this change means that using public benefits programs could make someone ineligible for legal residency in the country. Under the proposed rule, use of programs such as Medicaid along with other health, nutrition, and housing benefits would now play a factor in residency decisions. Also, DHS could consider someone having lower income (under 125% of the Federal Poverty Level, or $25,975 for a family of three) as a negative factor. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation , nearly 94% of all noncitizens who came to the US without LPR status have at least one "negative factor" under the new guidelines. Between 2.1 million and 4.9 million adults and ch...

The full PA Senate is moving quickly to pass work requirement bills that would place a serious burden on low-income Pennsylvanians. A vote could happen as early as Wednesday, October 17. HB 1659, which we discussed back in May , would expand work requirements on SNAP and cause nearly 100,000 people to lose access to food stamps. In most cases, people on SNAP must already work or participate in a training program if they are between the ages of 8-50, non-disabled, and not considered vulnerable individuals. HB 2138 would put new work requirements on the Medicaid program , which helps low-income Pennsylvanians access health insurance. "Able-bodied" adults (which includes people who lose their job or have reduced hours because they are in treatment or recovering from surgery) would have to work 20 hours per week, look for a job, or participate in job training to qualify for Medicaid. Take Action! Our friends at Project Home put together an action alert , including a...

The Senate is expected to take up the Farm Bill this week, with a vote likely tomorrow. S. 3042 protects current SNAP benefit levels and eligibility rather than adding burdensome requirements (including additional work requirements) to the law. At the same time as SNAP is being debated in Congress, rules changes are rumored from the Administration. These changes could mean that immigrants would not be eligible for green cards if they or their children use benefits such as Medicaid, CHIP, or even the ACA marketplace - even though the immigrants in question have entered the country legally and are legally allowed to use the programs. Take Action:  Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 to share your thoughts on S. 3042.  Here's a sample script: "Hello, my name is _________ and I am a constituent of Senator __________. My zip code is __________. I am calling today in support of S. 3042, the Farm Bill, as it is currently written. Please support this bill but do not allow...

From our friends at PHAN The PA House passed HB 2138, the bill that would force families and individuals who rely on Medicaid to file endless paperwork to prove that they work or are exempt from the law. If there's an error, people could be locked out of Medicaid for months at a time. Not only would this cruel bill strip more than 85,000 of their health coverage, it would cost Pennsylvania taxpayers $3.4 billion over 6 years just to create new red tape for folks who rely on Medicaid. ( You can read more about the bill in our post from mid-April .) Take Action: May 2nd is a statewide Day of Action to protect Medicaid. PHAN will be in Harrisburg from 11-3: sign up to join them here . Call your state Senator to show your opposition to Medicaid cuts and work requirements. PHAN has a sample script: I'm calling today to ask Senator _____________ to oppose adding work requirements and making cuts to Medicaid. The latest attack on Medicaid, House Bill 2138, creates expen...

HB 1659, which would expand work requirements on SNAP and cause nearly 100,000 people to lose access to food stamps, went back to the Appropriations Committee yesterday. But even though it is off the table for now, there is a good chance it will come back. [EDIT 5/2/18: This bill came back out of Appropriations yesterday and was voted on by the full House. It now moves on to the Senate.] In most cases, SNAP recipients must already work or participate in a training program if they are ages 18-50, non-disabled, and not considered "vulnerable individuals" (one example of a vulnerable individual would be someone living in an area with a high-unemployment rate).   According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the work rate for people receiving SNAP is and has been growing . More than 80 percent of SNAP households work the year before or after receiving SNAP. SNAP works to keep children, families, and individuals fed, and to bridge the gap between jobs. It suppleme...

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a bill that would establish work requirements on Medicaid recipients. If this bill passes the Senate, "able-bodied" adults receiving Medicaid would need to work for at least 20 hours per week, look for a job, or participate in job training to qualify for Medicaid. The "able-bodied" definition excludes full-time high school students, pregnant women, people receiving long-term disability benefits, people under 19 or older than 64, prisoners, and residents of mental health institutions. Under this definition, however, people who lose their job or hours while getting treatment or recovering from surgery would not be covered. Neither would people who can't find a job because they can't access childcare or transportation. Qualified workers and people exempted from the requirements would still have to submit paperwork and medical verification, which will take time and cost money to the Commonwealth...

Last week, President Trump released his plans for the 2019 federal budget. It includes cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and energy assistance along with the elimination of funding for public broadcasting and loan forgiveness for students who enter public service. Here's a more in-depth look at some items: Healthcare: The budget cuts Medicaid and subsidies for the health insurance marketplace by $763 billion over 10 years. It also embraces the Graham-Cassidy proposal to eliminate the ACA and replace it with a block grant to states. The block grants would be less than what states receive currently to assist families with healthcare, leaving them with additional, unfunded costs. Housing: Under this budget, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would see a cut of $8.8 billion . Rental assistance programs are among those that would see cuts, while LIHEAP would be completely eliminated . Nutrition: Perhaps the most talked about cuts so far are those made to nutrition progra...

From our friends at PHAN Today is a statewide Day of Action to defeat House Bill 59, a sneak attack on Medicaid that would impose harmful work requirements meant to reduce enrollment and cut necessary benefits . We need your help today to get the message out. Please use this social media cheat sheet on how to participate today as well as a series of social media-friendly graphics to illustrate the point. Feel free to share them widely and to encourage your followers to post our " I Oppose HB 59 " badge and call their legislators today. We'll be posting Facebook and Twitter content today to raise awareness about the harms of HB 59. Help amplify the message by retweeting our posts or share your own content using the hashtags #HB59, #MedicaidWorks, and #CareNotRedTape.

Updated 7/12/17: This bill passed the House and may be voted on the Senate this week. Please contact your senators! Word is going out this morning that PA House Bill 59 , which would add new requirements to the state Medicaid program, may be headed towards a vote today. According to our friends at PHAN , this bill would: impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients lock-in managed care plans (making it hard for people to change plans to find the care they need) open the door to higher costs and premiums Medicaid exists to ensure individuals and families who can't afford insurance don't go without healthcare. Many of the people I know who use Medicaid do so because of serious health conditions such as cancer or congenital diseases .   The Atlantic points out that   " most people on Medicaid who can work do, and low-income people working demanding jobs often do so 'until their bodies gave out on them.'"  In fact, the article goes on to say ...

We published our first blog post on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on August 17, 2009 . Now, almost eight years later, the House of Representatives is set to vote on legislation that would repeal and replace the ACA with a new law - the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Here's what we know about the AHCA: It would make comprehensive changes to Medicaid : Additional money to states (such as Pennsylvania) that accepted Medicaid Expansion, which allows more people to get their insurance through Medicaid, would end. The entire funding mechanism for Medicaid would change, with states receiving a capped amount of funding regardless of how many people qualify for the program. Recent reports indicate that states may be able to impose a work requirement on "able-bodied individuals" applying for or using Medicaid. Under the AHCA, Medicaid could no longer be used at Planned Parenthood clinics. These clinics provide birth control, mammograms, and other types of reproductive care ...

From our friends at PHAN As more and more people benefit from the ACA across the country, some people are still falling through the cracks. In some states, individuals and families who earn too much for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance can take advantage of Medicaid Expansion. In Pennsylvania, Governor Corbett has chosen to propose a different health care model to the US government, and is waiting for their decision. Right now, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is reviewing Governor Corbett's proposed alternative "Healthy PA" plan. Under this plan, thousands of current Medicaid enrollees could see their coverage and access drastically reduced. The public comment period to have your voice heard on the Governor's "Healthy PA" plan ends April 10. Please tell CMS how you feel about "Healthy PA" . Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians are stuck in the a gap right now - earning to o much to qualify for Me...

From our friends at PHAN Join the Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) for a call on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:00 PM for state updates on Medicaid expansion and the upcoming budget. The call will touch on recent updates regarding the push for Pennsylvania to expand Medicaid, but will really focus on the budget, plans to end existing Medicaid programs, navigat or bills and more. RSVP here: http://bit.ly/TNPCSstateupdates

Today is the last day to submit comments on Governor Corbett's plan to extend Medicaid to low-income workers, also known as Healthy PA. Project Home has set up a link to help individuals submit comments online . The Governor's proposal is available for your review on the state's website . The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center also has a summary of the bill . Please visit http://bit.ly/1115waiver to share your thoughts today. You can also submit your comments to the Department of Public Welfare via their website at http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/healthypa .

On Wednesday, November 20th, Pennsylvania Health Access Network will be asking you to join in a statewide day of action urging Governor Corbett and your lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage in 2014. Today, you can sign this petition and mark your calendar for Wednesday. All hardworking families deserve the security of knowing they can see a doctor when they get sick without facing enormous medical bills. If Pennsylvania fails to act on this federal opportunity, hundreds of thousands will be left out in the cold with no options for affordable coverage in 2014. You can let your legislators know that Pennsylvania cannot afford to turn down federal funding that states like New Jersey and Ohio will use to insure their citizens and give their health care economies a needed boost in 2014. As many as 400,000 Pennsylvanians will have no other affordable health care options if we do not act soon. These Pennsylvanians are our neighbors and friends. They take our orders at restaurants, f...

From our friends at PHAN and PUP. Join us this Thursday, September 26th 10:00 AM for an informative workshop. You'll learn about: New rights and protections for folks with private health insurance. New benefits for Medicare recipients and changes to Medicare Advantage What the new insurance marketplace is and how to sign up for coverage What Medicaid expansion could mean for Pennsylvania Latest updates from Harrisburg and DC PLUS there will be plenty of time for your questions PHAN is proud to be presenting at this workshop put together by our friends at the Philadelphia Unemployment Project. Join: Thursday, September 26th at 10:00 AM at the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO office, 22 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia. Looking forward to seeing you there! (For more information call the Philadelphia Unemployment Project at 215-557-0822)

News is coming out today about Governor Corbett's proposal to increase access to health care in Pennsylvania. We will bring you further analysis of the plan as it comes in, and we encourage those interested to join a call hosted by the Pennsylvania Health Access Network on September 24 to learn more. Here are the basics revealed by the Administration. The plan, titled Healthy Pennsylvania , is said to focus on : getting kids insured, promoting access to primary health care - particularly in rural and underserved areas of the state, and creating a coordinated long term care and support system for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities. Healthy Pennsylvania includes common sense reforms to the Medicaid program and a pathway to increase access to health care for uninsured Pennsylvanians. These reforms include aligning benefits with national standards proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services, reasonable premiums, individual responsibility, work search an...

The House Rules Committee, chaired by House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) voted to remove language forcing Governor Tom Corbett to create a Medicaid expansion plan. It went down on a party-line vote. They also stopped a proposed name change in the same welfare code bill that would have switched the "Department of Public Welfare" to the "Department of Human Services." Now that expansion has been stricken from the Welfare code bill it will still need to go before the House and then back to the Senate for concurrence. It is possible that Senators could put the expansion language back in the bill, but with no known leverage to change the minds of the Republicans on the House Rules Committee, it is highly doubtful that they will continue to push for Medicaid expansion. Click here for updates and actions!

The health care law offers Pennsylvania $43 billion over the next ten years to expand health care coverage to 700,000 working people. Opponents of health care reform are spending big bucks to get lawmakers to leave that money on the table instead. Tell Harrisburg: Don't Leave the Money on the Table. Stand up for health care reform by joining an event in: Delaware County , Bucks County , Scranton , Lehigh Valley , State College , Erie , Philadelphia , or Pittsburgh and pledge to call your lawmakers on tomorrow.

Over the last few months, Governor Tom Corbett has indicated that he has no intention of accepting new federal dollars to expand the state's Medicaid program. If he rejects these funds, more than 542,000 Pennsylvanians will be left uninsured. In recent months, Republican governors across the country have been changing their minds and accepting Medicaid dollars.  Pennsylvania lawmakers have an opportunity to accept new funds from the federal government to expand the state's Medicaid program. Add your name to the petition asking the Governor and lawmakers to accept the Medicaid Expansion!