Health Care

New Jersey Becomes Latest to Embrace Medicaid Expansion. How About It, PA?

Posted by Christopher Lilienthal on February 26, 2013 3:17 pm
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Chris Christie is the latest to join a growing bipartisan group of governors embracing the opportunity to expand Medicaid health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The New Jersey governor announced his decision during his budget address today. The Star Ledger has more:

Third and State This Week: Selling Snake Oil to the States, Medicaid Expansion Means Jobs, and the PA Budget Summit

Posted by Third and State on February 22, 2013 7:04 pm
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This week at Third and State, we blogged about how ALEC is trying to sell snake oil to the states, a new report finding that an expansion of Medicaid would support tens of thousands of new Pennsylvania jobs, and the Pennsylvania Budget Summit which took place in Harrisburg this week.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

  • On budget and fiscal policies, Sharon Ward blogged about new research striking a stake in the heart of claims by ALEC that its policies of lower taxes, fewer workplace protections, and diminished public investments is good for the public.
  • On health care policy and the economy, Chris Lilienthal wrote about a new report finding that the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would support more than 41,200 new jobs across Pennsylvania's economy in 2016.
  • On state budget and tax policy, we pulled together live tweets from the Pennsylvania Budget Summit all in one place.

IN OTHER NEWS:

  • The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has posted resources from the Budget Summit online. This includes our Just the Facts on Pennsylvania Spending, Taxes, Debt and Tax Fairness.
  • PBPC has launched a new Education Facts Page, with Pennsylvania data on enrollment in public, private and charter schools in the commonwealth as well as information about education funding and school poverty. Check it out.

Expanding Medicaid Would Add 41,000 New PA Jobs

Posted by Christopher Lilienthal on February 22, 2013 12:05 pm
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Governor Tom Corbett's decision to pass on a federal opportunity to expand health coverage under the Affordable Care Act is a missed opportunity on many levels. It is a missed opportunity for the hundreds of thousands of hardworking low-income Pennsylvanians who would have the security of knowing that they can see a doctor when they get sick. And it is a missed opportunity for the state's health care economy.

Third and State This Week: The Governor's Budget Proposal and More

This week at Third and State, we blogged about the Governor's proposed 2013-14 budget, which does little to undo the damage done by the deep cuts to education and health care enacted during his first two years in office. Plus a look at lost Postal Service jobs in Pennsylvania, as news comes that Saturday mail delivery will be ending.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

  • On the state budget, Sharon Ward shared the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's statement on the Governor's proposed budget, her pre-budget op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer outlining what the budget should look like, and her post-budget op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette analyzing the Governor's proposal.
  • On education, Kate Atkins posted infographics showing the proposed budget does little to reverse cuts to public schools and higher education.
  • And on jobs and the economy, Mark Price blogged about a 21% decline in Postal Service employment in Pennsylvania since 2007, as news comes that Saturday mail delivery is coming to an end.
IN OTHER NEWS:
  • Read the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's detailed analysis of the Governor's 2013-14 budget proposal.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Governor's Budget Falls Short on Education, Health Care

Posted by Sharon Ward on February 8, 2013 11:56 am
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I have an op-ed in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette making the point that Governor Corbett's proposed 2013-14 budget falls short on a number of levels and that Pennsylvania needs a budget that returns to tried-and-true investments in education and public infrastructure, the kind that can build a foundation for Pennsylvania's long-term economic competitiveness.

Governor's Budget Does Little to Undo Damage of Last Two Years

In case you missed the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's media statement on Governor Corbett's 2013-14 budget proposal this week, I pass it on to you below. It provides a nice overview of the various components of the Governor's budget. If you want more specifics, read our detailed 13-page budget analysis here.

Governor's Budget Makes Modest Increases But Relies on Uncertain Funding

Posted by Christopher Lilienthal on February 6, 2013 11:09 am
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From the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's analysis of Governor Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget plan:

Governor Tom Corbett proposed a 2013-14 budget of $28.4 billion — up $400 million, or 1%, from the budget in place when he took office in 2011. The budget proposes expensive new corporate tax breaks that will continue to shift costs to individuals and local taxpayers, while failing to restore deep cuts to public schools, keep college affordable for middle-class students, or ensure working families can obtain basic health care.

Third and State This Week: Union Membership, Tax Loopholes and a Medicaid Opportunity Too Good to Pass Up

Posted by Third and State on January 25, 2013 6:28 pm
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This week at Third and State, we blogged about a new report on union membership, tax loophole bills approved by a state House committee, Republican governors opting in to the expansion of Medicaid and more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

  • On a new report on union membership, Stephen Herzenberg channeled Mark Twain to write that the reports of unions' death are greatly exaggerated.
  • On state budget and taxes, Michael Wood blogged about two bills that passed the House Finance Committee this week and would create new loopholes in Pennsylvania's tax system.
  • On health care, Sharon Ward wrote about growing bipartisan agreement that the optional expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is too good an opportunity to pass up.
  • On the federal budget, Chris Lilienthal shared a table from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities showing how much in across-the-board federal cuts are slated to take effect in March under the fiscal cliff deal.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

Republican Governors Opt-In to Medicaid Expansion

Posted by Sharon Ward on January 22, 2013 11:00 am
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There is growing bipartisan agreement that the optional expansion of Medicaid provided by the Affordable Care Act is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Last week, the Governors of Arizona and North Dakota, both Republicans, announced their intention to opt-in to the Medicaid expansion, joining their counterparts in Nevada and New Mexico. To date, 14 states have decided to expand Medicaid in 2014, and another seven are leaning toward expansion. Pennsylvania remains among the 21 undecided states.

Third and State Recap: The Medicaid Expansion, Lost Education Jobs and Costs of Lottery Privatization

Over the past two weeks at Third and State, we blogged about lost jobs in public schools, the latest state jobs report, what's at stake in the decision to expand Pennsylvania's Medicaid program, how much lottery privatization could end up costing seniors' programs, and much more.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

  • On jobs and the economy, Mark Price blogged about new data showing employment in Pennsylvania's public schools was at a decade low in the 2011-12 school year. Mark Price also put Pennsylvania's December jobs report in some perspective.
  • On health care, Michael Wood highlighted an infographic showing that if Pennsylvania opts out of the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, it will create a coverage gap for working families earning between 46% and 100% of poverty.
  • On privatization, Stephen Herzenberg blogged that the Corbett administration's plan to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery could end up costing seniors' programs a billion dollars or more.
  • On the Marcellus Shale, Mark Price wrote about the latest numbers on direct jobs created by shale drilling, which accounts for just 0.38% of all Pennsylvania jobs.
  • On the state budget, Kate Atkins wrote about Bucks County students who served up a tasty five-star meal to area elected officials last week to underscore the value of investing in career training and technical education.

More blog posts next week. Keep us bookmarked and join the conversation!

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