PRINTER'S NO. 551
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
91
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY DeLUCA, DRISCOLL, DEAN, HARKINS, O'BRIEN,
D. COSTA, McNEILL, V. BROWN, NEILSON, FREEMAN, WARREN,
BIZZARRO AND SCHWEYER, FEBRUARY 17, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, FEBRUARY 17, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Strongly urging the Congress of the United States to retain
certain consumer protections if the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act is repealed.
WHEREAS, In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act and was signed into law; and
WHEREAS, The act created mechanisms that offer tax subsidies
to individuals to purchase health insurance on a market
exchange; and
WHEREAS, The act has assisted 17 million individuals in
obtaining health insurance nationwide, including more than
413,000 Pennsylvanians; and
WHEREAS, Through the expansion of Medicaid, an additional 15
million individuals have gained access to health insurance
nationwide, including approximately 700,000 Pennsylvanians; and
WHEREAS, Since the act was passed, Pennsylvania's uninsured
rate has fallen 37%; and
WHEREAS, The act provides other protections, most
importantly, guaranteeing issuance of insurance regardless of
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preexisting conditions, permitting children up to 26 years of
age to remain on their parent's insurance, prohibiting annual
and lifetime limits on the payment of benefits and mandating
that insurance companies cover ancillary costs of clinical trial
participants; and
WHEREAS, Prior to the passage of the act, individuals with
serious or chronic illnesses and pregnant women could be charged
a higher premium for insurance coverage or could be denied
insurance coverage because they were considered to have a
preexisting condition; and
WHEREAS, The act prohibits insurers from denying coverage to
individuals with a preexisting condition; and
WHEREAS, If this provision of the act is repealed,
approximately 52 million Americans, including approximately 3
million Pennsylvanians, could lose insurance coverage; and
WHEREAS, Prior to the passage of the act, it is estimated
that approximately 10% of cancer patients reached either their
annual or lifetime maximum limit on the amount of medical
benefits their health insurance paid; and
WHEREAS, Annual or lifetime maximum limits on the amount of
medical benefits health insurance pays often lead to individuals
being unable to effectively manage their chronic diseases or
being unable to receive necessary care; and
WHEREAS, The act eliminates annual and lifetime limits on the
amount of medical benefits health insurance pays; and
WHEREAS, Since the passage of the act, 100 million Americans,
including approximately 4.5 million Pennsylvanians, have no
annual or lifetime maximum on their health insurance policies;
and
WHEREAS, If this provision is repealed, individuals with
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chronic illnesses and pregnant women may once again be subjected
to the annual and lifetime limits on the amount of medical
benefits their health insurance pays; and
WHEREAS, Young adults have the highest uninsured rate of any
age group at 30%; and
WHEREAS, Young adults have the lowest rate of access to
employer-based health insurance; and
WHEREAS, One-in-six young adults have a serious or chronic
illness, such as cancer or diabetes; and
WHEREAS, The act permits young adults to remain on their
parent's health insurance until they reach 26 years of age; and
WHEREAS, If this provision is repealed, it is estimated that
6 million young adults in the nation, including 89,000 young
adults in this Commonwealth, are at risk of becoming uninsured;
and
WHEREAS, Prior to the passage of the act, individuals seeking
care by means of a clinical trial were responsible for paying
out of pocket for ancillary costs associated with the trial; and
WHEREAS, These costs could include CAT scans, blood work, X-
Rays, MRIs and other expensive tests and procedures; and
WHEREAS, Costs associated with these tests and procedures are
estimated at $30,000 or more; and
WHEREAS, The act ensures that any qualified individual
participating in a clinical trial will not have their benefits
limited or denied in respect to routine costs associated with
participation in a clinical trial; and
WHEREAS, If these important protections are repealed,
millions of Pennsylvanians, including the most vulnerable
members of our society, will be adversely affected; therefore be
it
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strongly urge the Congress of the
United States to retain certain consumer protections mentioned
in this resolution if the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act is repealed; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the
President of the United States, the presiding officers of each
House of Congress and each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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