PA Senate Health and Human Services — 2026-10-19

Capoletti. Here. Collette. Culver. Here. Ferry. Here. Haywood. Proxy. Hutchinson. Here. Laughlin. Proxy. Schwenk. Here. Stefano. Here. Street. Here. Ward Judy. Present. Ward Kim. Proxy. Brooks.

Thanks for being here. Chair Brooks, Chair Swank, distinguished members of the committee, It's an honor and a pleasure to appear here before you today regarding House Bill 348. House Bill 348 comes at a time where many families are facing stress in their families, where parents and grandparents may be admitted to nursing homes, and they're dealing with a number of factors as that is occurring, including the financial stress that the nursing home may charge for the services to be rendered. Anyone who hits age 65, as I have, and beyond, approximately 70% of all individuals in Pennsylvania who are over the age of 65 will spend some time in a nursing home. The average cost of a nursing home in Pennsylvania is now $130,000 per year. These costs are typically paid by a husband and a wife or just a single member of a household until all of their assets are expended, and then at that time the application is made for Medicaid assistance. But the Medicaid law does not require a family to spend all of their assets on nursing home costs before the Medicaid program will offer some assistance. I can give you some examples where families do not have to spend assets, and yet in practicing in this area, I have families come in to me who have already spent all the assets of the married couple. But with proper estate planning, you can save approximately 70% of the marital home to pass down to children. Also, all retirement assets, including the IRA of the spouse who is at home, does not have to be spent on nursing home care before you become eligible for Medicaid assistance. And additionally, one half of all other marital assets, up to $150,000, can be claimed by the at-home spouse and does not have to be spent on nursing home care before becoming eligible for Medicaid assistance. In order to carry out some of the savings, though, for the family, certain legal steps have to be taken involving deeds and trusts to implement the Medicaid planning to protect those assets. So this is a right by law. And as I say, many families, when they have spent all their assets, finally come to an attorney, and at that point in time it's too late. So House Bill 348 will simply require nursing homes to advise residents as they are making the initial application for staying at the home that there are potential savings for you. You do not have to spend all your life savings, and you may want to consult legal counsel before you enter the nursing home. Frankly, I would expect very few people to take up the offer of this advice. Seemingly, people are reluctant to meet with attorneys. But for those who do, this can be a very significant piece of legislation that can help and assist elderly people in those final years of life. So I appreciate your consideration of the bill today. Thank you.

Thank you, Chairwoman Brooks, and thank you, Representative, for bringing this forward. As you mentioned, so many of us are going to face skilled nursing care at some point in our life. The dream is to remain in home, but it's just not always possible. So having proper estate planning so that the other spouse or the child, whoever it is, that is helping to support this care can understand what assets may remain with them so they can continue to live their lives at least in some dignity and comfort. I think this is a great idea, and I hope we can do a lot to help promote this. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to say to make a bill, we've encountered a number of constituents who have these issues, and we frequently advise in our office to get them appropriate estate planning information. And I actually have encouraged people to do it sort of affirmatively when they think that there might be an opportunity for a need for skilled care, precisely because you can preserve much of the assets in a way that people just don't know. And so I think this is very important and will help many Pennsylvanians. Thank you.

Capoletti. Aye. Collette. Aye. Culver. Aye. Ferry. Aye. Haywood. Proxy. Hutchinson. Aye. Laughlin. Proxy, aye. Schwenk. Aye. Stefano. Aye. Street. Aye. Ward Judy. Aye. Ward Kim. Proxy, aye. Brooks. Aye.

Madam Chair, I appreciate that. Thank you. Have a nice day. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Brooks. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you again for moving this bill. and my bill last time we met. This one would get to the governor's desk faster, and I am in full support of getting this done, so I appreciate it. Thank you.

Capaletti.

Collette.

Culver.

Ferry.

Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano.

Street. Ward Judy. Ward Kim. Proxy aye. Brooks. Aye. House Bill 1652 passes unanimously and is

Thank you again, Madam Chair. And I appreciate this bill coming up for a consideration today. I like to thank my colleagues who are co of this bill Senators Collette Schwenk and Schlegel for your partnership on this incredibly important issue The circumstances threatening Pennsylvania's rural health systems are no secret. Pennsylvania has the third largest rural population in the nation. Because of geographic isolation, workforce shortages, hospital and service line closures, and limited access to specialty care, those rural communities are more likely to face serious chronic health challenges. And this alarming reality holds particularly true for expecting parents as Pennsylvania has seen 38 hospitals close their labor and delivery units since 2005, and OBGYN shortages have left nearly half of all rural Pennsylvania women living more than 30 minutes from the nearest birthing hospital. Nobody should be left stranded without access to potentially life-saving health care. To tackle this crisis, our Commonwealth has identified solutions. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, in collaboration with several other agencies under the Office of the Governor, identified that deploying health units with telehealth capacity would substantially improve maternal and infant health outcomes in those health care deserts. And Senate Bill 965 puts those recommendations into action. This legislation would establish a maternal health monitoring pilot program in Pennsylvania to support remote patient monitoring for gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes. That program will allow providers to track key health indicators in real time and intervene when early complications arise and ensure better support overall for expecting and postpartum parents. Effectively, this program would ensure individuals in rural areas can actually receive the care they need with minimal barriers to access. As a co-chair of the Women's Health Caucus, a member of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, and as a mom, I believe our legislature must take any and every action to guarantee better health outcomes for parents and children, no matter their zip code. So again, I thank you, Chair Brooks, for prioritizing this initiative and joining me in the efforts to bolster our rural health care infrastructure, and I hope I can count on my colleagues for an affirmative vote.

Thank you. Again, thank you, Senator Capaletti, for leading the charge on helping to make this happen. As a member of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, I fully understand and have seen some of the issues that families face in rural areas because there is not access to adequate health care. And I will note that when we're looking at this monitoring, it's looking at blood pressure, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes. These are situations where it's very likely that a pregnant woman is likely going to need to have a C-section or at least go into the hospital for delivery sooner rather than later in many cases. I saw this in my own family. so having this service available will really make a big difference but it won't replace the fact that in many of our hospitals we do not have delivery departments in order to be able to you know for women to have babies locally but at least we get the information earlier so we can plan appropriately so it makes a lot of sense to me and again i thank all my colleagues who were co-sponsors on this as

Capaletti and my other two partners on this. We come from different areas of the Commonwealth, but share in this vision for women, maternal women who are in their pregnancy. You know, pregnancy is not always easy. Women enter into situations where they need to be monitored. and when you're in rural Pennsylvania, transportation becomes a major issue. The long travel times and some women need to be in the hospital three days a week for monitoring. This would allow for that real-time monitoring. Their caregivers know where they're at and they can promptly respond. I think ensuring better health outcomes for the mother, for the child, saving dollars in health care is just such a good bill and we're hoping that the pilot program shows the results that we're looking for. It lessens those morbidity rates and ensures that care that we have been desperately looking for when we have these shortages of health care facilities. So I want to thank my colleagues for allowing me to join them in this, and I ask for an affirmative vote on the bill.

Capiletti.

Collette.

Culver.

Ferry. Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano.

Street.

Ward Judy.

Ward Kim.

Brooks.

Capoletti.

Collette.

Culver.

Ferry.

Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano.

Street.

Ward Judy.

Ward Kim.

Brooks.

Proxy, aye. Hutchinson. Aye. Laughlin. Proxy, aye. Schwenk. Aye. Stefano. Aye. Street. Aye. Ward Judy. Aye. Ward Kim. Proxy, aye. Brooks. Aye.

Thank you, Chairwoman. I'm grateful for my partnership on this bill with my good friend and colleague for this legislation. The issue is critical as families face staffing challenges every day and something I often hear about in my district. The legislation offers families a vital and much-needed opportunity to take an active role in their child's care while receiving fair compensation for the support they are providing. Because oftentimes, as Chairwoman Brooks said, it's at the expense of their own employment to make sure their child has the care that's needed. So thank you, Chairwoman Brooks, for your comments and for calling up this important bill.

Capoletti.

Collette.

Culver.

Ferry.

Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano.

Street.

Ward Judy.

Ward Kim.

Brooks.

Thank you, Chairwoman, for bringing up Senate Resolution 238. I was approached earlier this session by advocates from the home care industry and disability community who do the extraordinary work of caring for medically complex and fragile patients in their home. I've also had the opportunity to visit several in-home settings. These caregivers assist families every day with their loved ones through long days and nights. However, when a staffing issue arises, whether it's due to workforce shortages, scheduling conflicts, or other unforeseen issues, it leaves many of these families desperate, helpless, and exhausted. Senate Resolution 238, which has the support of the PA Home Care Association, the PA Association of MCOs, would require the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to take a deeper dive into the current reimbursement rates for both pediatric and adult in-home shift nursing services. I'm hopeful this study will become a blueprint and offer some sound policy recommendations on how to improve care across the system to some of our most vulnerable residents and help their families continue to care for them at home where they want to stay with their families. I want to thank the PA Home Care Association, Aveana, Beata, Achieve the Arc of Greater Pittsburgh for their great advocacy work on this issue. I urge my colleagues an affirmative vote in support of this resolution.

Capoletti.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Proxy, aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Proxy, aye.

Aye.

Thank you, Chairwoman, for the consideration of Senate Bill 1306. This legislation has the support of HAP and the PA Medical Society and would establish a critically needed hospital security grant program to protect healthcare workers, patients, and first responders across the Commonwealth. Through the PCCD-administered program, eligible hospitals would be able to apply for up to $150,000 to offset the cost of various security enhancement projects. The awards would support hospitals with the purchase of new security equipment, update technology such as metal detectors and surveillance systems, as well as enable investment in safety assessments and threat awareness training for staff. The bill requires PCCD to prioritize awards to hospitals that have experienced incidents or threats of violence and hospitals located in medically underserved areas. is my hope that this grant program will enable facilities to make the critical investments in safety, training, and physical security needed to prevent and deter further senseless acts of violence in our hospitals. And again, I ask for an affirmative vote.

Thank you, Chairs Brooks and Schrank and members of this committee. I'm grateful for the opportunity to offer some brief remarks on Senate Bill 1306, sponsored by myself and Senator Ferry. Healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in any other industries, and they account for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence, according to federal government reports. Now, an investigation by WPXITV in Pittsburgh in July of 2025 found that 93% of Pennsylvania healthcare workers say that they are afraid at work. This is a growing concern and one that must address as we work to grow the healthcare workforce. Healthcare providers cannot care for patients and won't want to stay in the profession if they are worried about their safety at work. Emergency rooms and hospitals can be a place of great turmoil, emotion, and volatility with accidents, illness, and trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, family and personal disputes, and so forth. People in a hospital could be there for mental health reasons. They could have physical conditions that alter their behavior. They may be dealing with stress and anxiety from their own or someone else's health problems. But a hospital should not be a place where individuals are in danger, but rather serve as a safe haven for healing and treatment. This proposal is modeled after Act 83 of 2019, which enacted the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund in the wake of the Tree of Life mass shooting. The proposed Hospital Security Grant Fund would likewise be administered by PCCD, just like the School Safety and Security Grant Program, which is also administered by PCCD. We worked with the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania throughout and as part of its development and it been vetted by PCCD and the Department of Health The ability of our hospitals to make investments related to metal detectors, weapons screaming devices, surveillance equipment, canine units, de-escalation training, vulnerability assessments, and other security measures can assist with the prevention and deterrence of senseless acts of violence in hospitals, which is our goal. I respectfully ask for your support of Senate Bill 1306.

Capoletti.

Colette.

Culver.

Ferry.

Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano.

Street.

Ward Judy.

Ward Kim.

Brooks.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This legislation builds on Act 87 of 2022, which modernized Pennsylvania law by allowing procedures on the CMS Ambulatory Surgery Center covered procedures list to be performed without requiring individual waiver requests. This bill will update the statutory reference from the 2022 CMS Ambulatory Surgery Center covered procedures list to the 2026 list, And it ensures that Pennsylvania law remains consistent with current federal standards and reflects advances in surgical care and technology. It is supported by the Pennsylvania Ambulatory Surgery Association, Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association, PA Orthopedic Society, Pennsylvania Medical Society, PA Independent Physician Practice Association, PA Chapter of the College of Cardiology, PA Academy of Ophthalmology, WellSpan, St. Luke's University Health Network, and Penn State Health. And I would appreciate your support. Thank you.

Capoletti.

Collette.

Culver.

Ferry.

Haywood.

Hutchinson.

Laughlin.

Schwenk.

Stefano. Street. Ward Judy. Ward Kim. Proxy aye. Brooks. Aye. Senate Bill 1453 passes unanimously and is reported out of committee. The final bill on today's agenda is Senate Bill 1504, sponsored by myself, establishing informal dispute resolutions for hospital inspection deficiencies and binding arbitration for serious findings that threaten operations or result in significant penalties. I will move the bill, seconded by Senator Hutchinson. Federal law requires that nursing homes have an opportunity to dispute inspection deficiencies. According to data provided by the Department of Health from 2023 through 2025, this process has resulted in nearly 10% of disputed nursing home deficiency tags being removed or downgraded without impacting patient care and, in fact, enhancing patient care. This bill codifies that existing process in our consolidated statutes, as well as establishing similar informal dispute resolution and binding arbitration processes for hospitals. Hospitals are a lifeline for our communities, and they are struggling, and they must be held to high standards, of course. but I've seen firsthand how inspections and interpretations of regulations can differ and the harm that can result for hospitals, patients, and communities when there is no meaningful opportunity to challenge those findings. Dispute resolution, mediation, and arbitration are longstanding principles of our legal system. Pennsylvania already provides similar opportunities to challenge government decisions through departments such as labor and industry, environmental protection, human services, and revenue. Hospitals deserve a fair opportunity to challenge disputed inspections as well. With so many of our hospitals closing, the bureaucracy of government cannot stand in the way of access to quality patient care. This legislation will actually help our patients and the families, especially in rural Pennsylvania, that so desperately need the care of our hospitals. This bill was developed in consultation with hospital stakeholders and draws on Pennsylvania's established arbitration laws to provide hospitals a fair opportunity to challenge serious findings, including those that threaten closure, prevent a hospital from opening or reopening, as the case in my legislative district, or result in significant financial penalties. Our goal is not to weaken oversight, but to ensure that oversight is fair, consistent, and accountable, and it does not add barriers to health care that so many families deserve and need. Are there any comments or questions on the bill? Seeing none, hearing none, David, please call the roll.

Aye.

Aye.

Senate Bill 1504 passes unanimously and is reported out of committee. I would like to thank the members of the committee for that vote on this important legislation. As I mentioned, I've seen firsthand the damage that the regulatory barriers provide to our patients and families and the impact that it gives on our hospitals. I saw a hospital close in my district. It was very, very challenging to reopen, and these regulations played a role in keeping that hospital closed for nearly three months. And regulations that, again, do not impact patient safety or care, but would help reopen that hospital, and unfortunately, the regulations kept that hospital closed. So thank you, members, for that important vote. having no other business before the committee the committee stands in recess until the call of the chair thank you very much