PENNSYLVANIA

Overview

Pennsylvania has a robust set of healthcare inspection and transparency laws. Notwithstanding, initiatives to adopt other measures, including a most favored nations clause ban for healthcare contracts, a certificate of needs program, and a state-run health exchange have not gained traction in the legislature. In the 2017-2018 term, the Pennsylvania legislature introduced many bills affecting price transparency, prescription drug costs, and health care markets and competition. However, none were passed or signed into law, with the exception of a resolution to enact legislation that would allow states to regulate air ambulance billing and pricing practices.

The State Database

The Source tracks state activities impacting healthcare price and competition in both legislation and litigation in a searchable database to help stakeholders at the state level understand their legal and regulatory environment as they make efforts to improve access, quality, and efficiency, and reduce costs in healthcare. We currently cover bills from the 2017-2018 legislative term and key statutes from each state. Search the database for specific bills, statutes or cases by using keyword, key issue category, and/or jurisdiction.

Filter by Key Issues and Year



Filter by Key Issues and Year


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Additional Resources

LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR

Pennsylvania’s most recent legislative session ran from 1/2/2018 – 11/30/2018. Bills from 2017 were carried over to 2018 for the 2017-2018 legislative term.

FY 2018 BUDGET

Pennsylvania’s budget operates on a twelve month cycle beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the following calendar year. Pennsylvania enacted its FY 2018 Budget during the regular legislative session. To view Pennsylvania’s FY 2018 Budget, click here.

REGULATION & ENFORCEMENT

  • In October 2013, Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced that her office had reached an agreement with Geisinger Health System Foundation over antitrust concerns that the acquisition of Lewistown Hospital and its employed physician group may have substantially lessened or eliminated competition in the region.  The eight-year agreement placed several conditions on the merger.
  • Pennsylvania was one of 16 states to file an amicus brief supporting the FTC’s winning position in the Ninth Circuit appeal of St. Luke’s Health Care Sys. v. FTC, No. 14-35173 (March 7, 2014), decided February 10, 2015. The States’ brief stated that the acceleration of health care costs due to the growth of large health care provider systems had become a matter of grave concern for the states.
  • Enforcement Actions, Market Conduct Actions and Market Surveillance reports conducted by the Department of Insurance can be found here.

KEY RESOURCES

 

Coverage

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