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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2009

A Capitol Perspective
A column by State Senator Pat Browne
16th Senatorial District

Working to Expand Health Care Options

Earlier this year, the Senate Republican caucus unveiled a legislative package to provide quality health care coverage to more Pennsylvania families. Unlike some health care proposals that have come before the General Assembly previously, HealthNET PA is a specific, targeted plan that does more than simply throw money out there in the hope of providing care and coverage to Pennsylvanians without health insurance.

HealthNET builds on and invests in a system with a proven history of serving the health needs of communities across the Commonwealth. It’s important to note that this plan has strong bi-partisan support. For the record, the HealthNET PA plan was unveiled at a February 2 press conference in Harrisburg. A month later, President Obama announced $155 million in grants for 126 health clinics across the nation. That total included $6.7 million for six Pennsylvania health clinics. I’d say that’s a rather solid financial endorsement for our proposal.

The Community-Based Healthcare Program component of HealthNET PA would provide essential state support for the expansion and site development of health care clinics across Pennsylvania that would provide "medical homes" for 175,000 working poor clients and ease pressure on hospital emergency rooms.

As a complement to that proposal, I introduced Senate Bill 464 which would enable health care professionals to apply the time they spend providing essential care in a clinic environment toward the continuing education requirements for their specific discipline. The Senate unanimously approved SB 464 in April and it is now in the House of Representatives for consideration.

Specifically, the Volunteer Continuing Medical Education Act would allow physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, certified registered nurse practitioners or physician assistants to apply volunteer time served in a community-based health care clinic towards the completion of mandatory continuing education hours required by their individual licensure boards.

I believe this is a win-win-win option for the state, for health care professionals and for those who will use the services offered by those clinics.  Pennsylvania and its taxpayers will gain since this process would limit the cost burden of those clinics and, in turn, the savings are an important benefit to the state as we struggle to meet the financial burdens caused by the current economic downturn.

SB 464 will allow trained, experienced health care professionals to apply their skills in an environment where they may truly encounter situations, cases and circumstances that they might not normally see in the daily routines of their individual practices and hospitals while realizing personal financial savings.  The benefit to patients is readily apparent as they will be treated by experienced professionals.

I hope that the House will move this bill, along with the other measures in the HealthNET PA package, through the legislative process and onto the Governor’s desk. This will provide more Pennsylvanians with access to quality health care that they may not be receiving now.

State Senator Pat Browne represents the 16th Senatorial District and serves as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.