HAP's Latest News

The Pennsylvania House Health Committee convened today for a hearing about treatments for COVID-19. The hearing featured expert testimony from physicians from a variety of disciplines, including family medicine, infectious diseases, pediatrics, and rural health.

Today, the Senate Republican Policy Committee held a hearing about the future of telemedicine. Stephanie Watkins, HAP’s vice president, state legislative advocacy, joined representatives from member organizations, including Allegheny Health Network and UPMC, for a panel discussion highlighting the importance of telemedicine, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today in Harrisburg, the House of Representatives took action to bring the commonwealth closer to meeting its health care workforce needs by passing legislation authorizing Pennsylvania to join other states in interstate licensure compacts for certain health care professionals. Participation in the various compacts allows Pennsylvania’s patient population the opportunity to leverage the nation’s entire health care workforce and ensures greater access to care for families across the commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania House Professional Licensure Committee voted House Bill 100 out of committee today. Originally intended to remove the requirement for a formal collaborative agreement between a certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP) and a physician—House Bill 100 was amended to create a six-year pilot program that allows an eligible CRNP to independently practice in a health professional shortage area, a designation based on geography or population.

Today, Governor Wolf provided details about the state’s efforts to stockpile personal protective equipment in advance of a potential second surge of COVID-19 patients this autumn and winter. 

Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released preliminary Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data highlighting a steep decline in the rates of vaccinations, primary, and preventive services among children. Nearly 40 million children currently are covered by Medicaid and CHIP, raising concerns about long-term health outcomes for many children in Pennsylvania.

The flu season is quickly approaching while the state and nation continues to battle against COVID-19. Though both are caused by different viruses, many of the precautions Pennsylvanians have adopted during COVID-19 also can help protect them from the flu. In addition to handwashing, social distancing, and the use of a face mask, Pennsylvanians are encouraged to add a flu shot to their protection measures.

This week, the Wolf Administration announced the launch of COVID AlertPA, a smartphone app to notify people of potential exposure to someone who has COVID-19.

A new analysis from the Urban Institute reports that, between April and July, more than 3 million adults lost their employer-sponsored coverage and nearly 2 million became uninsured.

A new Commonwealth Fund survey into the disparate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the long-standing inequities by race, ethnicity, and income. The analysis also shows that the experience of economic hardships and mental health concerns during the pandemic varies by race, gender, and income.