Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell Proposes $28.3B Budget, Including $500M for Coverage of Uninsured
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) on Tuesday released a $28.3 billion state budget proposal for fiscal year 2009 that includes $500 million to provide health coverage for uninsured state residents, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Worden et al., Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/6). The proposal also would provide prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries and autism services for adults.
Rendell also is requesting $750 million in capital funds to help pay for hospital expansion and construction of new community-owned facilities (Mauriello/Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/6). The budget proposal includes a 10-cent-per-pack increase to the state cigarette tax to fund health care initiatives (Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/6). Republican lawmakers said that Rendell's plan does not effectively reduce spending (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/6).
