HARRISBURG – January 7, 2020 – Today, Senators Pam Iovino (D – Allegheny & Washington), Vincent Hughes (D -Philadelphia & Montgomery), Steve Santarsiero (D – Bucks), Maria Collett (D – Montgomery & Bucks), and Tim Kearney (D – Delaware & Chester) requested that action be taken on four pieces of legislation aimed at protecting the core provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ensuring quality and stable healthcare in Pennsylvania.

The group of Senators, all prime sponsors of the legislation, sent a letter to Senator Mario Scavello (R – Monroe & Northampton), Chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, urging him to authorize a public hearing or committee vote on a bipartisan package of bills that would codify the ACA’s most critical protections into Pennsylvania state law. The letter follows a December 2019 federal appeals court ruling that a central provision of the ACA is unconstitutional, prompting an additional review by a federal district judge that brings into question whether Pennsylvanians will be able to rely on the law’s basic protections.

The legislative package includes the following:

  • Senate Bill 939— prohibition on selling insurance policies that have an annual or lifetime limit on coverage
  • Senate Bill 50 — prohibiting denial of coverage based on preexisting conditions
  • Senate Bill 51 — providing for essential health benefits such as mental health and addiction treatment
  • Senate Bill 982— allows young adults to stay on their parent’s insurance until they reach age 26

“The Affordable Care Act allowed over 1 million more Pennsylvanians to obtain health insurance that protects their health and financial stability, benefited 4.5 million Pennsylvanians whose previous plans included lifetime or annual caps, and helped 89,000 young adults by allowing them to remain on their parents’ insurance. We cannot risk these vital protections disappearing if the ACA is overturned,” said Senator Pam Iovino, the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 939 and co-sponsor of Senate Bills 50, 51, and 982. “This legislative package, a proactive and prudent effort to protect healthcare for Pennsylvanians, deserves full consideration by the Senate.”

Read the full letter: