Pittsburgh, Pa. − February 6, 2019 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. today circulated a memo seeking cosponsors for legislation that would require UPMC and Highmark to either contract with each other for services or enter mandatory arbitration if they fail to come to an agreement on their own.
The bill addresses the issue of integrated delivery networks throughout the Commonwealth; however, this issue is particularly problematic in southwestern Pennsylvania given the ongoing dispute between UPMC and Highmark. While the two are currently operating under a consent decree, that order will expire in June of this year.
Under existing law, there is no mechanism to resolve contract disputes between large integrated delivery networks, like UPMC, Allegheny Health Network, and Geisinger, which could threaten patient access and choice. Under Senator Costa’s legislation, if networks fail to come to an agreement on their own, they would be compelled to enter mandatory arbitration to settle the dispute.
“Both parties need to come to the table, negotiate and cultivate a relationship that will allow the residents of Western Pennsylvania to get the care they need. It’s time to undo the damage caused by the divorce of these two companies. Disputes between enormous, profitable companies cannot get in the way of patients and their care,” said Senator Costa. “Health care consumers should not have to worry about whether their insurance will be accepted when they’re sick, injured or simply seeking preventive care. Their only worry should be getting healthy. This legislation can relieve that stress and establish consistency for integrated delivery networks.”
There are strong consumer protection and public policy reasons for adopting this legislation.
First, by requiring hospitals and physicians operating as part of an integrated delivery network to contract with all insurers, consumers will not be denied care, or worse abandoned mid-treatment, simply because they hold one type of insurance over another. All consumers should be afforded access to these vital hospital and physician services, regardless of which insurance card they carry.
Second, the legislation will also eliminate the ability of any dominant hospital system from demanding unreasonable rates for services from insurers, and in turn raising the overall cost of health care because they are the “must have” system in the area.
For more information on the legislation, read the full cosponsorship memo and follow its progress here.
PITTSBURGH, February 1, 2019 – State Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today jointly announced a $650,000 state grant to provide open space and transportation improvements to the 28-acre former Civic Arena site in Pittsburgh.
“I am pleased that these state dollars will help advance this effort to beautify and improve access in that section of the city,” Costa said. “I will continue to work with Senator Fontana and local officials to make Pittsburgh even more accommodating and attractive to residents and visitors.”
Fontana added, “The arena is a linchpin that will continue to attract both business and residential investment in the lower Hill District portion of our city. This state support will help advance and enhance the city’s redevelopment efforts.”
The $650,000 in state Multimodal Transportation funds will be awarded to the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County for a new three-acre public open space that will provide improvements to intersections, the streetscape, provide new pedestrian pathways, bicycle routes, a bus stop, bikeshare station, and upgrade stormwater management, energy-efficient lighting, and other public amenities. The development work will take place on the so-called “cap” over I-579 that connects the 28-acre former Civic Arena site to downtown.
The multimodal funds (Act 89 of 2013), administered by PennDOT, support ports and rail freight, increase aviation investments, establish dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements and allow targeted funding for priority investments in any mode. The grants are aimed at improving efficiency, safety and transportation mobility.
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Penn Hills, Pa. – February 1, 2019 – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Tony DeLuca announced $3 million in state funds for a roadway project in Penn Hills Township.
The grant comes from the Multimodal Fund and will be used to repave and improve roadways throughout the township most in need of repair, complete ADA-compliant cut-outs and sidewalks, and make streets more accessible for bicycle traffic.
“Livable, walkable communities are one of the reasons that folks move to our area and this grant will make huge improvements in accessibility for Penn Hills,” said Senator Costa. “I look forward to seeing this project through, and opening up our roadways for pedestrians and cyclists to commute safely.”
“When one thinks of improving infrastructure, one tends to think of building a new road or fixing a bridge, but repaving roads and making them and sidewalks more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly is all part of building better infrastructure, which is key in making one’s community a safer place to live for everyone,” DeLuca said. “This grant is welcome news.”
The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth.
Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development.
Brewster, Costa, Kortz, Davis receive update during morning conference call
McKeesport – January 25, 2019 – State Sens. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland), Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and state Reps. Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny) and Austin Davis (D-Allegheny) received an update from officials from the Allegheny County Health Department concerning the Dec. 24 fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works.
The update was provided during a morning conference call.
“We had a discussion with Dr. Karen Hacker and her team at the health department about the fire and its aftermath,” Brewster said. “Conversations will continue at a public meeting on February 7 at the Clairton Municipal Building.”
Brewster said the discussion focused on proper community notification procedures, air quality monitoring, improving communications and emergency response. He said the county officials pledged that these issues would be covered at the February public meeting.
The fire damaged the coke work’s gas processing system. The fire and response were the focus of a public meeting held in Clairton earlier this week.
Brewster said that additional information would be available at a public meeting, which is a joint Senate-House Democratic Policy Committee hearing, scheduled for Feb. 7 beginning at 12 noon at the municipal building, 551 Ravensburg Boulevard, Clairton.
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Pittsburgh, Pa. − January 22, 2019 − At a press event today in Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto’s office, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr., Representatives Ed Gainey and Sara Innamorato, and the Mayor announced plans for a property tax relief program for Pittsburgh.
As Pittsburgh continues to experience increased investment and development pressure in specific neighborhoods of the city, longtime owner occupants have been and will continue to be put at risk of being forced out of their homes due to rapid increases in property taxes. Given these rising costs, the City of Pittsburgh sought options to keep homeowners in place.
The current state law requires for Allegheny County to enact an ordinance that would then allow the other municipalities within the county to enact their own programs to defer or exempt increasing taxes. However, Allegheny County has been unable to create a program that defined the parameters of the program specifically enough to satisfy court challenges or flexible enough to meet the varying needs of is many local governments.
Senator Costa is currently seeking cosponsors on a bill that would allow Allegheny County to create a longtime owner occupant program (LOOP).
“Rising living costs and constantly increasing tax burdens are pushing longtime residents out of the homes they have worked their entire lives to own and age in,” said Senator Costa. “It’s important that we provide relief from these increases to help stabilize property tax bills, home ownership, and communities.”
Proposed changes would involve:
- Amending the title of the statute from “First and Second Class County Property Tax Relief Act” to “First and Second Class County and City Property Tax Relief Act”;
- Amending occurrences of “counties of the first and second class” to read “counties and cities of the first and second class”;
- Further discussion on whether any amendments to Section 4749.4(c) would be necessary; and
- Amending Section 4749.5(c)(2) from “School districts and municipalities within a county of the second class may…” to read “School districts and municipalities within a county of the second class, including cities of the second class, may…”
“We want our neighborhoods to be better, but we don’t want to price people out,” said Rep. Ed Gainey, D-Allegheny. “We need to make sure that as Pittsburgh rises, the people who have lived in our communities are not left behind, or removed to make way for new development. We have an affordable housing crisis in this city, and it is our moral responsibility to invest in and defend those longtime residents who have built lives in their neighborhoods.”
“As Pittsburgh continues to grow economically, we need to invest in our communities in a way that is sustainable and equitable,” said Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny. “New development and investment should never be at the expense of residents who were here during the hard times, who have invested their lives in their neighborhoods. As our city advances we need to make sure that the fabric of our neighborhoods is not torn apart, and that everyone gets to benefit from growth in their neighborhood.”
There are distinct differences between the application of the statute in a county of the first class with one municipality and a county of the second class with 130 municipalities. Most notably, there are practical challenges in the ability to properly define the eligibility parameters and designated geographic areas for counties of the second class given the large number of municipalities.
“We need to make sure those who stayed in Pittsburgh through the bad times can remain in their homes through the good times. This legislation will help us ensure that,” Mayor William Peduto said.
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Harrisburg, PA − January 17, 2019 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. today circulated a memo seeking cosponsors for a bill that would create a no-interest loan fund for federal employees during the shutdown.
Federal employees that are working are not eligible for unemployment benefits, but while the shutdown continues they are also not being paid a salary.
There are three groups of employees going unpaid due to the Trump government shutdown: Federal employees not working and not being paid; and, contract employees going without work. Both categories of workers are eligible for typical UC benefits. However, a third group — federal employees that are working but not paid — are ineligible under federal law for UC benefits.
“This third category of workers are caught in a must work-without-pay without UC benefits trap. This is unfair and immoral,” said Senator Costa. “We should do all we can to make sure that these hardworking people are being provided the means to take care of their families.”
Senator Costa’s bill will create a loan fund within the Department of Labor and Industry to provide these temporary benefits. Should an unpaid, working federal employee choose to receive a loan they will be required to fully reimburse the fund for the loan interest free.
Initial estimates based on claims from federal employees that are not working and applying for benefits indicate that about $5 million is needed to cover a month of loan benefits for this additional class of employees. While this amount should be near revenue neutral, L&I would need administrative funding to run the program. These costs are well worth it to help struggling families.
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