|
Bill
|
Description
|
Status
|
Autism insurance bill
(House Bill 1150) |
Would require insurance companies to cover autism spectrum disorders and establish state oversight of the proposed merger of Highmark and Independence Blue Cross |
Signed into law |
Clean Indoor Air Act
(Senate Bill 246) |
Would ban smoking in some public places |
Signed into law |
Diesel-Powered Commercial Motor Vehicle Idling Act
(Senate Bill 295) |
Would prohibit diesel trucks from idling more than five minutes every hour |
Passed by General Assembly, sent to governor for signature |
Health Care Cost Containment Council bill
(House Bill 2648 and Senate Bill 1372) |
Would renew Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) for five years and extend Mcare abatement for 2008-09 |
Both bills have been passed by the Senate and are in the House; meanwhile, an executive order has temporarily reopened PHC4 |
HIV testing bill
(Senate Bill 1261) |
Would permit immediate HIV testing of patients if workers may have been exposed to the infection |
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee |
Generic Equivalent Drug Law
(HB 98) |
Would prohibit substitution of antiepileptic drugs without permission of the patient and prescribing physician |
Referred to House Appropriations Committee |
Insurance reform bill
(House Bill 2005) |
Would prevent health insurers from basing rates on demographic factors |
Passed by House 131-72 and being considered by Senate Banking and Insurance Committee |
Insurance for adult children bill
(Senate Bill 1453) |
Would allow children up to 30 to remain on the parents' insurance |
Passed by Senate 50-0, being considered by House |
| Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (Senate Bill 1137) |
Would renew Mcare abatement for 2008, phase out the Mcare Fund, and provide health insurance to the uninsured |
Passed by Senate, amended by House, and sent back to Senate Banking and Insurance Committee |
Medical school loan forgiveness bill
(House Bill 1093) |
Would forgive medical school loans for internal medicine and family medicine physicians, pediatricians, and OB GYNs who agree to practice in Pennsylvania for 10 years. |
Passed by House 191-9 and in Senate Education Committee |
Mini-Cobra bill
(Senate Bill 1422) |
Would allow employees of small businesses to continue health coverage after leaving a job |
Passed by Senate 50-0, being considered by House |
Perfusionist licensure bill
(House Bills 500 and 501) |
Would establish licensure requirements for perfusionists |
Signed into law |
| Preventable Serious Adverse Events Act (House Bill 2098) |
Would deny payment to physicians and hospitals for preventable serious complications |
Passed by House 201-2 and being considered by the Senate |
Women’s Health Act
(House Bill 2115) |
Would create an Office of Women’s Health Care |
Referred to House Health and Human Services Committee |