"Health & Medical News"

Washington — The Pennsylvania House last month adopted a bill that would expand access to health insurance, but physicians have concerns about the measure’s funding and mandate for physicians to participate in its health plans.

The legislation, passed 118-81 on March 17, would provide coverage through state-subsidized private health plans to an estimated 218,000 of the state’s 767,000 uninsured adults by 2012. It would gradually phase out the state’s medical liability program. Democratic House leaders added the health expansion plan, called Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care, or PA ABC, to the liability reform bill.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]

Pennsylvania physicians are fighting to stave off Gov. Edward G. Rendell’s plan to divert funds from the state’s medical liability assistance program to cover the uninsured.

Doctors and other health care professionals contribute annually into the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund — known as Mcare — set up under a 2002 tort reform package. Physicians are required to have $1 million in liability insurance, but the fund subsidizes half of their premiums and pays claims exceeding $500,000.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: unranked [?]