Will PA Take Medicaid Expansion Option?

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Governor Tom Corbett has already decided against a state-based insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act, but he’s still mulling whether to take an option to expand Medicaid.  The federal health care law expanded Medicaid to cover people up to 138% of the federal poverty line, but the courts have since made in optional for the states.

The federal government would pick up the vast majority of the tab, and state Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) is urging the governor to opt-in.  “That is a $4-billion dollar windfall for the people of Pennsylvania.  That’s $4-billion dollars of new investment in our health care network across the Commonwealth,” Hughes tells reporters.

Supporters say it will ensure health care coverage for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, save on uncompensated care costs and stimulate the economy.  Critics say it will financially burden the Commonwealth, and question how the federal government can truly fund its share of such a massive Medicaid expansion when it’s $16-trillion dollars in debt. 

In a statement, Governor Tom Corbett said he will continue to seek guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services on the costs, impacts and flexibility involved in the state’s options.

Flu Season Arrives in Pennsylvania

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Flu season has made an earlier than usual arrival in Pennsylvania.  The  State Health Department says the number of cases has doubled in the last week.  The state is reporting widespread flu activity.

The state is also seeing more Type A influenza H3N2 cases, which are often linked to more severe flu seasons.  It is also associated with more complications from flu. Health officials are encouraging people to get a flu shot.  They say it’s not too late.  However, it takes 10 to 14 days for the vaccination to reach its full protective effect.

People with flu symptoms should consult with their physician. Anti-viral medications can reduce the severity of the flu, but their effectiveness depends on how soon they’re given after symptoms begin.

Usually, Pennsylvania does not see this amount of flu activity until after the holiday season. People are encouraged to practice good hygiene habits, such as hand washing, when attending holiday get togethers to help avoid the spread of the flu.

 

Corbett Passes on State-Run Health Insurance Exchange

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With too many unanswered questions about the cost and regulation, Governor Corbett has decided not to pursue a state-based health insurance exchange.  Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine calls it the best decision under the circumstances.  “What we’ve been finding out, as we’ve been going through this process and learning more information, is that the level of control and autonomy and flexibility that we thought we would have in a state exchange may not be there,” Consedine explains. 

The grassroots group Americans for Prosperity has been working the phones to lobby the administration and legislature on this issue all year, and state director Jennifer Stefano calls it the right move for the taxpayers.  “You have no control… but by the way – hey taxpayers – along with the 21 other taxes in Obamacare, you’re now going to pay for it,” she says in explaining the grassroots group’s stance on the exchange. 

While the governor’s decision comes as a disappointment to the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, director Antoinette Kraus is focused on the positive.  “Even though Governor Corbett has decided not to move forward with the state-based exchange, folks will still be able to access health insurance on January 1st, 2014, and that’s a good thing for working families and small businesses here in Pennsylvania,” she tells Radio PA. 

Kraus was referring to the fact that the federal government will now assume the responsibility of running Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace, under the Affordable Care Act.  PA is one of 28 states to allow the feds to run its exchange.  These states will still be allowed to opt-in at a later date.

Report Examines the State of Child Welfare

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Fewer Pennsylvania children are entering the foster care system, and the total number of foster youth in PA is on the decline, according to the 2012 State of Child Welfare report.  “This a very important statistic,” says Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President & CEO Joan Benso.  “Children who live in foster care don’t experience the same life outcomes as children who live consistently in families.  They tend to have poorer education outcomes; they’re more likely to be teen parents or involved in crime.” 

However she sees more work that needs to be done when it comes to permanent placements and stability for the 22,000 children who are in the state’s foster care system.  For instance, 35% of children who were in foster care for 12 – 23 months had been in three or more placement settings.    

Also, the report finds that 21% of PA’s foster youth live in institutional care.  “We’re encouraged that action will be taken on that in the next year, but that number needs to continue to go down.  We have a very high rate for children living in congregate care, and much higher than other states.”

This report comes in advance of a legislative session in which the General Assembly is expected to take up the recommendations of the Task Force on Child Protection, and it cautions that protecting children should not be simplified to a numbers game that leads to a false sense of accomplishment.

Highway Deaths Hit 62 Year Low Nationally, but Some Categories Increase

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Nationally, traffic deaths dropped almost 2% in 2011 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, but the number of deaths involving bicyclists rose nearly 9 percent and there was a 20% jump in deaths of occupants of large trucks.

Erin Waters of PennDOT says Pennsylvania did not follow those trends. Deaths of drivers and passengers in heavy trucks held about steady.  Deaths of bicyclists fell by over 50% from 2010 to 2011. This was before the new law requiring drivers to give bike riders a wider berth when passing them took effect.

The overall number of traffic deaths dropped nearly 3% in Pennsylvania from 2010 to 2011. But the state actually hit its lowest level in 2009.  Nationally, the number of highway deaths was at its lowest level in 62 years in 2011.

Sen. Casey Pushes for Gift Card Protections

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Gift cards may be popular holiday presents, but – if you’re not careful – you could be stuck with nothing more than a lump of coal.   With that in mind, US Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is pushing for action on the Gift Card Consumer Protection Act, which would ban all gift card expiration dates and user fees.

“It’s billions of dollars that are sometimes wasted when you have these arbitrary rules about deadlines,” Casey tells Radio PA, calling it a major & a timely issue.  “It’s really an economic issue for consumers, but it’s really a broader economic issue for our larger economy.” 

Consumer Reports surveys show that a quarter of Americans who receive gift cards during the holidays have at least one lying around ten months later.  Casey’s office also cites a financial services firm, which found that consumers left $2.5-billion worth of gift-card value on the table in 2010.

With so much “fiscal cliff” work that must be done before the end of the calendar year, Casey says he will work to attach this language to a larger financial bill that could be on the move.  If the job can’t get done during this holiday season, Casey wants to revisit the issue in 2013. 

The Act, which was introduced by Sen. Dick Blumenthal (D-CT), would also bar bankrupt companies from selling gift cards, and protect consumers from being stuck with worthless cards after a company goes out of business.

Auditor General Blasts Turnpike’s “Free Rides”

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Auditor General Jack Wagner wants the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to stop giving employees and vendors toll-free personal travel.  “They can utilize the Turnpike at will, both for work-related purposes and for free personal use,” Wagner told a crowd of reporters gathered in a Finance Building conference room.  “In our first finding, we basically state that the free personal use should be eliminated.” 

Wagner was previewing an upcoming audit report, which shows the Turnpike gave out a total of $7.7-million dollars worth of free rides between January 2007 and August 2011.  While the Turnpike has no mechanism for differentiating between on-the-job and personal travel, Wagner says the issue – at least – begs for more oversight. 

Pointing to next month’s toll hike, Wagner says the Turnpike should be doing everything it can to hold down fares for its customers.  Wagner’s letter to the Turnpike Commission asks for a written response that he can include in the final report, which is due out before he leaves office next month.  A Turnpike spokesman says the letter was received Monday afternoon, and a draft of Wagner’s report is currently under review.

PA Coal Mines to Install Defibrillators

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A new regulation, which will take effect next March, will require automated external defibrillators at all underground coal mines in Pennsylvania.  It calls for one near the mine’s entry, and one in each of the mine’s underground working sections.  Defibrillators are used to stabilize heart rhythms in the event of a heart attack. 

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) spokesman Kevin Sunday tells Radio PA that a citizen in southwestern Pennsylvania first brought the issue to the attention of the Board of Coal Mine Safety.  “Everyone was on board with it: the management, the labor and the state,” Sunday explains, “so we moved forward with all due speed and now we have a new regulation that is going to help save lives.”

This is a first-of-its kind regulation, according to Sunday, who says modern technology has now allowed such equipment to be safely stored in an underground mine. 

Pennsylvania’s historic 2008 Coal Mine Safety Act authorized the board to update its own health and safety regulations without waiting for the General Assembly to act. 

Pennsylvania has 36-underground bituminous coal mines, and Sunday says they’ve gone more than three years without any fatalities. 

(photo credit: American Heart Association)

PUC Received More Complaints About Pennsylvania Utilities Last Year

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The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has released its 2011 Utility Consumer Activities Report and Evaluation.   Both requests for payment agreements and overall complaints about utilities increased last year.

The complaints come to the PUC after customers are unable to resolve an issue with a utility, and there was an 8% increase in customer contacts that required commission review.

PUC spokeswoman Denise McCracken says weather may have played a role. Events like Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee caused numerous outages last year, along with the October snowstorm.

McCracken says many complaints dealt with payment arrangements, but there were also increases in other contacts, including complaints about personnel.

The PUC is reviewing the areas of increased complaints.

Housing Market is Recovering

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With consumer confidence up and mortgage rates down, the housing market is making a slow but steady recovery.  “Right now, I think, is a good time to buy because house values are still low,” says Kate Newton, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) Director of Homeownership Programs.  “Especially in Pennsylvania there really aren’t any more signs – that we should expect anyway – for house values to decrease.” 

The Pennsylvania Builders Association reports that new home permits are up 14% year-over-year, another sign that Pennsylvania’s housing recovery is underway. 

Newton says Pennsylvania was fortunate not to have a huge ‘housing bubble,’ so our housing market did not fall as far or as hard as it did in other states.  Appearing on WITF’s Radio Smart Talk, Newton noted that housing markets will vary locally.  The PHFA has recently released county-by-county data on housing availability and affordability. 

The latest update from Freddie Mac indicates that mortgage rates are near record lows (3.34% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan), and the National Association of Realtors reports that pending home sales are at their highest levels since March 2007.