Pennsylvania Medicaid Expansion Details Still Unclear

Uninsured, low-income Pennsylvania residents are still waiting to see if they will be able to gain coverage under Medicaid expansion in the near future, according to an NPR report.

States have the option under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to expand their Medicaid programs to cover adults earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. About half of the states have decided against expansion, while others — Pennsylvania included — are still working out Medicaid reform agreements with federal officials.

Earlier this month, Gov. Tom Corbett unveiled his plan to accept federal funding to launch Healthy Pennsylvania, a program that will promote affordable care and increase access to care for the uninsured. If the federal government approves the program, the state will move forward with extending health insurance coverage to about 520,000 additional low-income, currently uninsured residents earning up to 133 percent of the poverty level. Although similar to the Medicaid expansion option included in the healthcare reform law, Pennsylvania's initiative will offer people coverage through the private insurance market.

However, HHS has said it needs more detailed information before approving the plan. HHS spokesman Fabien Levy told NPR the agency is committed to working with the states to craft Medicaid reform programs that work for them.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic lawmakers, hospital officials, the AARP and labor unions have pushed for Medicaid expansion. However, Republicans have said an expansion would be fiscally unsustainable for state taxpayers, according to the report. Although the state Senate approved Medicaid expansion legislation this summer, legislators in the House voted it down.

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South Dakota Task Force: Medicaid Expansion Could Save Hospitals $30M