Health Care
Landmark Bipartisan Telemedicine Reform Heads to Gov. Shapiro’s Desk
Harrisburg, Pa., June 26, 2024 — Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 739—a bill to expand telemedicine access in the commonwealth—by a vote of 49 to 1. Previously passing…
Read More: Landmark Bipartisan Telemedicine Reform Heads to Gov. Shapiro’s DeskUnder Obamacare, Pennsylvania families have been forced to pay more for health care, and more than 800,000 Pennsylvania adults have received taxpayer-funded health coverage through a broken Medicaid system. Without Congressional action, states are unable to carry the full burden of Obamacare on their own. However, state policymakers can focus their own reform efforts on giving patients more control over health care and restoring Medicaid as a safety-net program. Access to health care should be measured, not by the number of those with insurance, but by the ability of individuals to independently secure the affordable, reliable care they deserve.
Health Care
Petty politics and bad regulations hinder telemedicine
Originally published at The Patriot-News Dr. Marlene Wüst-Smith practiced telemedicine before it became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, government restrictions sometimes hinder her ability to practice this…
Media Hit
Read More: Petty politics and bad regulations hinder telemedicineHealth Care
Here’s what good health care looks like
Originally published at The Patriot-News Imagine scheduling a same-day telehealth appointment instead of waiting weeks for an in-person appointment. Or for needed surgery, you had access to local…
Media Hit
Read More: Here’s what good health care looks likeHealth Care
A Physician’s Misfortune Highlights What’s Wrong with Health Care
Originally published at RealClearHealth When Dr. Marion Mass got the distress call about her mother in the nursing home, she knew something was wrong. As a Pennsylvania-based pediatrician, Mass…
Media Hit
Read More: A Physician’s Misfortune Highlights What’s Wrong with Health CareHealth Care
Pa. House’s Passage of HB 1512 Is a Victory for Patients
Harrisburg, Pa., April 10, 2024 — Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 1512 by a vote of 197 to 3. The Commonwealth Foundation applauds the passage of the…
Press Release
Read More: Pa. House’s Passage of HB 1512 Is a Victory for PatientsHealth Care
Health Care Myths and Facts
Summary Pennsylvanians want personalized, flexible, accessible, and cost-effective health care. Market-based reforms to make price information available, expand telemedicine, and modernize Pennsylvania’s Nursing Law can reduce health care costs and…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Health Care Myths and FactsHealth Care
Getting Insurance is Simple. Getting Care is Not
Originally published at RealClearHealth ‘Tis the season for health insurance. Open enrollment for Medicare, employer-sponsored insurance, and Pennie plans are in full swing. Plans are plentiful and highly subsidized.
Media Hit
Read More: Getting Insurance is Simple. Getting Care is NotHealth Care
Commonwealth Foundation Report Charts Path Toward More Affordable, Accessible Health Care
Harrisburg, Pa., November 13, 2023 — Today, the Commonwealth Foundation released a new report outlining five ways to improve Pennsylvania’s health care system. The backgrounder, “The Personal Option for Health Care in…
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Report Charts Path Toward More Affordable, Accessible Health CareHealth Care
The Personal Option for Health Care in Pennsylvania
Summary Keep and expand the health care systems that work: Protect Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices. Allow expanded Association Health Plans (AHPs) so small businesses can offer more affordable coverage.
Backgrounder
Read More: The Personal Option for Health Care in PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Cutting red tape on Pa.’s nurse practitioners
Originally published in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Expanding health care access has been a major political issue in recent decades — first, during the Clinton health care plan of the…
Media Hit
Read More: Cutting red tape on Pa.’s nurse practitionersHealth Care
Expanding Health Care Access: The Easy Way
Key Findings Full practice authority for nurse practitioners (NPs) would increase the amount of time NPs can see patients by about 45 minutes each week.This translates into almost one more…
Executive Summary
Read More: Expanding Health Care Access: The Easy WayEducation
Common Ground in the Commonwealth Poll Findings
Summary The Common Ground in the Commonwealth Poll, conducted March 24-29, is the first in a series of quarterly surveys taking the pulse of voters on the “state of the…
Memo
Read More: Common Ground in the Commonwealth Poll FindingsHealth Care
Maryland’s Lesson: Nurse Practitioner Reform Will Increase Health Care Access
Originally published at RealClearHealth Sandra Nettina, a Maryland nurse practitioner (NP), walked into the family room of a 65-year-old woman with severe rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It was another…
Media Hit
Read More: Maryland’s Lesson: Nurse Practitioner Reform Will Increase Health Care AccessHealth Care
The Case for Nurse Practitioner Reform: Full Practice Authority in Pennsylvania
Key Points More than 580,000 Pennsylvanians live in areas with a shortage of primary care professionals relative to the population. This shortage exists throughout the state but concentrates in rural…
Backgrounder
Read More: The Case for Nurse Practitioner Reform: Full Practice Authority in PennsylvaniaHealth Care
Director of Policy Analysis Elizabeth Stelle on WFMZ November 21, 2022
Giving nurse practitioners full practice authority would help eliminate at least half of the healthcare shortage areas in Pennsylvania.
Media Hit
Read More: Director of Policy Analysis Elizabeth Stelle on WFMZ November 21, 2022Health Care
Remove barriers to increase health care access in Western Pa.
Originally published at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Nearly three years after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, hospitals still struggle with significant labor shortages. Health care workers are…
Media Hit
Read More: Remove barriers to increase health care access in Western Pa.Health Care
Report: Access to Health Care in Pa. Stymied by Restrictive State Laws
Harrisburg, PA – A new report from the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s leading free-market public policy research organization, found that Pennsylvania state laws that restrict the work of advanced practice…
Press Release
Read More: Report: Access to Health Care in Pa. Stymied by Restrictive State LawsHealth Care
How Full Practice Authority Can Increase Access and Improve Outcomes
Key Findings Marylanders in border counties have better health care outcomes, including fewer residents reporting fair or poor health and fewer residents with poor mental health days.Before full practice authority,…
Report
Read More: How Full Practice Authority Can Increase Access and Improve OutcomesHealth Care
Medicaid’s Endless Expansion
Key Points Medicaid enrollment has surged, increasing by more than one million since 2015.[1] The program now covers more than one-quarter of all Pennsylvanians.Medicaid is the largest program…
Backgrounder
Read More: Medicaid’s Endless ExpansionHealth Care
Nursing shortage can be fixed by speeding up the licensing process
Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer Pennsylvania is currently enduring one ofthe worst nurse shortages in the nation. A shocking one in four nursing positions went unfilled…
Media Hit
Read More: Nursing shortage can be fixed by speeding up the licensing processHealth Care
How Pennsylvania Is Progressing in the Race to Rebuild
The 2021 state budget includes some policy changes to spur recovery and better governance, but much more needs to occur.
Fact Sheet
Read More: How Pennsylvania Is Progressing in the Race to RebuildHealth Care
7 Signs Pa.’s Pandemic Recovery Is Falling Behind
Pennsylvania business closures continue to be among the worst in the nation. …
Fact Sheet
Read More: 7 Signs Pa.’s Pandemic Recovery Is Falling Behind