Ed Rendell, Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania, has been promising state residents that he would usher in expanded health coverage. After all of this time spent promising, the bill died in the state Senate. This was due to unsurprising lack of support from the Senate Republicans.
The health insurance program was meant to expand coverage to more than 118,000 Pennsylvanian adults, as well as bulking up funding for health clinics and giving more coverage for prescriptions and mental health care.
The main concern that the Senate Republicans had was the cost of the new legislation, which was set to be over $2 billion within five years. This cost would have been absorbed by the state government. Republican State Senator,Domini Pileggi, said, "[I]t would be irresponsible for us to announce a new program when the state is now facing a 2-to-3 billion-dollar deficit in this year alone."
In retaliation, Governor Rendell suggested that his Republican peers did not deliver on compromises that were made. Rendell was cited as saying, "We bent many times to reduce the number of people (covered) to meet their concerns. This was mean-spirited conduct by people who did not want to see action taken on what is the most fundamental challenge for most people."
The governor vowed to push for health insurance expansion every year until his term ends in 2011, reported the Associated Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer. - 15275
The health insurance program was meant to expand coverage to more than 118,000 Pennsylvanian adults, as well as bulking up funding for health clinics and giving more coverage for prescriptions and mental health care.
The main concern that the Senate Republicans had was the cost of the new legislation, which was set to be over $2 billion within five years. This cost would have been absorbed by the state government. Republican State Senator,Domini Pileggi, said, "[I]t would be irresponsible for us to announce a new program when the state is now facing a 2-to-3 billion-dollar deficit in this year alone."
In retaliation, Governor Rendell suggested that his Republican peers did not deliver on compromises that were made. Rendell was cited as saying, "We bent many times to reduce the number of people (covered) to meet their concerns. This was mean-spirited conduct by people who did not want to see action taken on what is the most fundamental challenge for most people."
The governor vowed to push for health insurance expansion every year until his term ends in 2011, reported the Associated Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer. - 15275
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