December 01, 2021 Hospital Nurse Leaders Describe ‘Perfect Storm’ of Workforce Challenges Pennsylvania is facing a “perfect storm” of workforce challenges in health care, as nurses and other staff retire or leave their roles, and hospitals struggle to fill vacancies, a panel of hospital nurse leaders told lawmakers during a committee hearing today.
November 11, 2021 Thanking Veterans for their Service On Veterans Day, HAP and its members thank the nearly 800,000 veterans who call Pennsylvania home and the millions nationally who have served our country and made sacrifices to protect our freedom. Legislation supported by HAP that would expedite professional licensure for veterans, including in health care fields, recently advanced in the General Assembly.
September 30, 2021 Governor Wolf Signs Waivers and Flexibilities Extension into Law Today, Governor Wolf announced his signing of House Bill 1861 to preserve critical waivers and flexibilities for the health care community through March 2022.
September 29, 2021 General Assembly Votes to Preserve Health Care Waivers through March 2022 The Pennsylvania General Assembly voted today to extend critical health care waivers and flexibilities to support the hospital community through March 2022.
September 20, 2021 Pharmacy Leaders Urge Lawmakers to Preserve Emergency Vaccine Waivers On Monday, the House Professional Licensure Committee heard testimony from pharmacy vaccine providers and others in the health care community about the ways COVID-19 emergency waivers have improved access to vaccines. The hearing comes as lawmakers begin to determine their next steps for critical COVID-19 emergency waivers and flexibilities that are set to expire September 30.
September 20, 2021 Lawmakers Advance HAP-Supported Legislation to Bolster Physician Assistant Workforce State lawmakers today advanced key legislation allowing physician assistants to practice to the full extent of their training while removing barriers that delay their entrance into the field.
August 04, 2021 Governor Wolf Renews Opioid Disaster Declaration Governor Tom Wolf today signed the 15th renewal of the Opioid Disaster Declaration and requested the General Assembly to reconvene to extend the declaration by August 26.
July 01, 2021 Governor Wolf Signs Two HAP-supported Health Care Bills; Vetoes Bill Banning Proof of Vaccine Requirements in Government Facilities This week, Governor Wolf signed two key proposals to support the health care community, while vetoing a measure that would have banned proof of vaccine requirements in state facilities and other public health mitigation orders.
June 25, 2021 Legislators on Track to Finalize State Budget by Weekend The Pennsylvania General Assembly today advanced a nearly $40 billion budget proposal for 2021–2022 that leaves about $5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding unspent and sets aside another $2.5 billion to ward off future tax increases, state lawmakers said today.
June 24, 2021 PA Lawmakers Send Two HAP-supported Health Care Proposals to Governor’s Desk; a Third Bill Opposed by HAP Will Draw Governor’s Veto Today, Pennsylvania lawmakers approved proposals to clarify how providers obtain informed consent from patients and allow the state to join 34 others in the Nurse Licensure Compact. After introduction in previous sessions and numerous stakeholder negotiations, the two health care priorities are anticipated to be signed by the Governor.