In First Month of Enrollment, 6,000 Sign Up for Pennsylvania’s New Program for Uninsured Adults

More than 6,000 people have enrolled in Pennsylvania's adultBasic program, which provides low-cost health insurance for uninsured adults and is funded by $76 million of the state's share of the national tobacco settlement, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports. The 6,000 enrollment figure represents only those people who signed up in June, when the program first began. July's enrollment figures will be available later this month; adultBasic officials expect enrollment to ultimately reach 40,000. Under the program, adults between the ages of 19 and 64 are eligible if they have an income below 200% of federal poverty level, have a job that does not offer health benefits or are unemployed. Coverage costs $30 per month, and enrollees must pay copayments of $5 for a doctor's appointment, $10 for specialists and $25 for a visit to the emergency room. The ER co-pay is waived if the patient is admitted. Coverage is provided by Keystone Health Plan East, First Priority Health, Capital Blue Cross/Pennsylvania Blue Shield and Highmark/Western Caring Foundation. "We're extremely pleased that Pennsylvania's adults are turning to adultBasic for help during a time in their lives when they have no other access to health insurance," state Insurance Commissioner Diane Koken said (George, Philadelphia Business Journal, 8/2).