Pennsylvania House Passes ACA Protections

The U.S. House of Representatives has seen significant bipartisan support for two major healthcare initiatives: the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, aimed at enhancing care for seniors by streamlining Medicare Advantage prior authorization processes, and a series of Pennsylvania bills that enshrine key Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections into state law. The former, introduced by Rep. Mike Kelly, received backing from 219 House members and seeks to establish an electronic prior authorization system and improve transparency. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania House passed three bills to ensure coverage for preexisting conditions, prevent annual and lifetime limits, and allow dependents to stay on parental plans until age 26, all of which are crucial elements of the ACA. These measures are seen as necessary safeguards against potential federal rollbacks, especially in light of ongoing legal challenges to the ACA. Lawmakers emphasized the urgency of these protections to maintain health coverage stability for residents, with a unanimous call for legislative action to protect citizens from federal uncertainties. The Pennsylvania bills will now move to the Senate for further consideration.