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A Quick Glance at What’s Going On in Harrisburg

Are you curious about what’s going on with health care in the Capitol but don’t have time to keep up with the news? 

The Pennsylvania Medical Society is here to help. We’ve prepared the table below, so that you can get a quick update on health care legislation under consideration. Follow the links to get more in-depth information.

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	Passed by General Assembly and sent to governor, who has promised to sign it
Clean Indoor Air Act (Senate Bill 246)	Would ban smoking in some public places	Passed by House and Senate, signed by governor
Diesel-Powered Commercial Motor Vehicle Idling Act (Senate Bill 295)	Would prohibit diesel trucks from idling more than five minutes every hour	Unanimously passed by Senate and referred to House Transportation Committee
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 being considered by the House
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
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
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
Perfusionist licensure bill (House Bills 500 and 501)	Would establish licensure requirements for perfusionists	Passed by House and Senate, signed by governor
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 Banking and Insurance Committee
Women’s Health Act (House Bill 2115)	Would create an Office of Women’s Health Care	Referred to House Health and Human Services Committee