Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care
Low Cost Health Insurance for all Adults

• Under this ambitious proposal uninsured adults making less than $31,200 ($64,000 for a family of 4) would pay between $0and $50 per month for full health insurance.
• The plan would include prescriptions and behavioral healthcare.
• Families over 200% of poverty could pay the full cost or $311 per adult, a good option in the case of serious medical need.
• Small employers will be offered subsidized insurance (at $130/ month per employee) for their workers, who would also pay between $10 and $70 for their insurance.

Regulate the Health Insurance Industry

• The PA Insurance Department would have increased authority to regulate rates and insurance products
• Insurance companies would not be allowed to disqualify people from insurance due to pre-existing conditions, even individuals buying insurance on their own.
• Insurers would be restricted in how much they could spend on administration, advertising, profits and etc. 85% of premiums would have to go to providing health care.

Financing for Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care

• Existing adultBasic funding -- Tobacco Settlement Fund and Community Health Reinvestment Fund.
• Surplus from Health Care Provider Retention Account that is not needed for MCare abatements. MCare helps cover doctors malpractice insurance premiums; it is funded by taxes on cigarettes.
• Additional taxes on tobacco products.

Prepared by the Philadelphia Unemployment Project

Summary of Access to Basic Care from the House Appropriations Committee [PDF].

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