A House committee chair is looking for final action next session on two-dozen health care bills in a Democratic-controlled statehouse.
Rep.
Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, the current Health majority chair, is reviewing bills passed by his chamber but not seeing action under a Republican-controlled Senate.
Democrats control the statehouse for the first time in three decades with their takeover of the Senate 26-24 in last week’s election.
Frankel identified
House Bill 79 creating a program to erase medical debt for low-income patients,
H.B. 1460 giving the state attorney general stronger powers to review hospital mergers and sales and
House Bill 1200 to legalize marijuana for adults as among the targeted bills.
Passing House bills bottled up in the Senate was a talking point during a Capitol victory rally last week of House and Senate Democratic leaders.
“With a true negotiating partner on the other side, we have a chance to make a significant difference in Pennsylvanians’ lives,” said Frankel.
He said there’s a need to offset the impact of President
Donald Trump’s health policies affecting vulnerable families. He listed
House Bill 583 to restore Medicaid coverage of root canals, periodontal disease treatment and emergency exams.
Senate Democratic Priorities
The Senate Democratic caucus set to take the majority next year has its own set of health care priorities.
“We support a public option so that everyone has access to the health care they need regardless of their ability to work. Continue to support the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It’s essential that the pillars of the Affordable Care Act are kept in place, including: Maintaining coverage of essential health benefits covering pre-existing conditions; and prohibiting lifetime and annual benefit limits,” caucus leaders said in a statement.
The caucus calls for maintaining the right to abortion and reproductive health care access for all women.
The priorities include investing in retaining, attracting, and educating more hospital staff and addressing mental and behavioral health care needs. Democratic control of both chambers doesn’t mean that one chamber rubber stamps the bills of the other chamber. Bills can be amended while moving through committees and the floor. Concurrence votes are then needed to secure final passage.
Senators represent larger and more diverse districts than House members so they may approach legislation differently. They can face different constituent pressures, as well.
Senate Democrats may decide to rearrange the committee structure determining where bills are routed.
For example, The House has separate Health and Human Services Committees. The Senate has long operated with the Health and Human Services Committee.
