House Insurance Committee Approves Bill to Enshrine ACA Protections into State Law

In a pivotal moment for health insurance reform, the Pennsylvania House Insurance Committee, chaired by state Rep. Perry Warren, D-Bucks, reported out of committee four significant bills that safeguard health insurance in Pennsylvania in the event the federal government repeals protections of the Affordable Care Act.

House Bill 404, sponsored by Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, would allow parents to keep adult children on their health insurance plans until they turn 26. Before the Affordable Care Act became law, many kids turned 18 and were dropped from their parent’s insurance plan. Losing health insurance coverage led to many young health individuals leaving the health insurance market entirely. Because of the lack of healthy individuals to balance out the high-need policyholders, insurance premiums became unaffordable for many young people.

“Ensuring young Pennsylvanians can stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until 26 will provide them with stability and peace of mind should the Republican Congressional majority repeal the Affordable Care Act,” Pashinski said. “That stability means they can begin pursuing their careers and building their lives without worrying about having the insurance needed to stay healthy and help in an emergency at a critical time in their lives.”

House Bill 618, sponsored by Rep. Jim Haddock, D-Lackawanna/Luzerne, would prohibit health insurers from denying or excluding coverage for preexisting conditions. This critical measure would protect individuals from being denied health insurance or facing higher premiums due to their medical history, ensuring that everyone has access to health care.

“Before the federal ACA became law, it was common for people with things like cancer or heart conditions to be denied health insurance coverage because of having a pre-existing condition. These exclusions meant that many Pennsylvanians could not access essential medical care without unnecessary burdens on their finances and health,” Haddock said. “We don’t want to go back to those policies of the past, so we need to give people peace of mind that their insurance coverage will continue, no matter what happens at the federal level.”

House Bill 535, sponsored by Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, would prohibit health insurance policies from establishing annual or lifetime dollar limits on essential health care, such as emergency care, maternity and newborn care, and mental health services. By removing these caps, the legislation would ensure that Pennsylvanians will have comprehensive and uninterrupted coverage for essential health services.

“With Republicans in Washington taking a chainsaw to the social safety net, we need to move fast to protect Pennsylvanians’ health care,” said Frankel, majority chair of the House Health Committee. “This package makes sure the quality coverage our residents have counted on since the ACA became law isn’t going anywhere.”

Credit: House Democratic Communications Office

House Bill 755, sponsored by Warren, would protect access to preventive health care. A case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court could end access to such preventive health care as cancer screenings for millions of Americans. This legislation would make sure Pennsylvanians can continue to access preventive health care without having to pay an expensive co-pay, co-insurance or deductible.

Warren expressed his enthusiasm about the passage of these bills, stating, “These bills show that Pennsylvania lawmakers are committed to making sure that health insurance works for all Pennsylvanians, regardless of what happens in Washington, D.C.”

The proposals now move to the full House of Representatives for further consideration.