Preserving Access to Health Care in All Parts of the State
• Emergency Medical Service (EMS) companies across the state are struggling financially. This state budget supplies increased funding to help meet their needs. It includes funds to increase Medicaid rates for basic life support by $145, advanced life support by $100 and mileage by $2 per mile.
• The Nurse Loan Forgiveness Program receives an additional $35 million allocation in federal relief funds.
• This state budget increases the Primary Care Loan Repayment Program by $1.3 million to provide 50 additional awards for physicians practicing primary care in medically underserved areas, including several of Pennsylvania’s more rural communities.
• Funding is included to expand evidence-based home visiting programs for new mothers, including Nurse Family Partnership.
• The pandemic highlighted the value of local health departments, whose state funding climbs to $33 million, a 20% increase.
• The State Laboratory will see a 20% increase to ensure better capacity and quick turn-around.
• Biotechnology research will receive an $7 million investment.
• Funding for disease-related programs increases by 6% as follows:
» Adult Cystic Fibrosis and Other Respiratory Diseases ($45,000)
» Cooley’s Anemia ($6,000)
» Hemophilia ($58,000)
» Lupus ($6,000)
» Sickle Cell ($75,000)
» Lyme Disease ($180,000)
» Regional Poison Control Centers ($42,000)
» Trauma Prevention ($28,000)
» Epilepsy Support Services ($33,000)
»Tourette Syndrome ($9,000)
» ALS ($651,000), an increase of 77%
» Leukemia and Lymphoma ($12,000)
» Renal Dialysis ($378,000).
• This state budget includes nearly $23 million to satisfy CHIP program indebtedness that had accrued during the pandemic when the Wolf Administration informed insurers not to terminate CHIP enrollees for not paying their premiums.