Affordable Care Act – Insurance Marketplace Now in Operation
A part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – the insurance marketplace – came on-line on October 1. The marketplace will offer healthcare insurance options to consumers with coverage available on January 1, 2014. The first open enrollment period began October 1, 2013 and will continue until March 31, 2014.
View Summary of the Affordable Care Act »
A variety of plans are available for review and citizens are able to sign up and access health insurance. Help is available for those who may have questions about accessing insurance or determining which plan best fits the need. Designated consultants, called navigators, will assist consumers manage the health care insurance marketplace. If you would like to begin shopping for plans on the health exchange, please visit www.healthcare.gov.
The navigators provide expertise on eligibility, enrollment and coverage details. Navigators will give fair and impartial advice and facilitate enrollment.
View Navigator Grant Recipient For Pennsylvania »
In the near future, other aspects of the ACA will be implemented. It is important to understand the various elements of the law and how it may impact you and your family. For more information about the law and its impact on individuals and business please check my website.
View Timeline of Affordable Care Act »
PA Works in Job Creation Spotlight
At an October 8, 2013 hearing on job creation in Scranton, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee highlighted the caucus job creation plan called PA Works. If implemented the plan -- featuring more than 40 pieces of legislation -- would create an estimated 80,000 jobs and leverage $2 billion in new private investment.
PA Works is a highly integrated approach to economic development and job creation. Authored by members of the Senate Democratic caucus the plan was unveiled two years ago as a possible foundation of state job creation policy.
At the hearing in Scranton, several elements of PA Works were highlighted. These include initiatives in the area of funding for new investments, infrastructure, worker training, helping veterans and minority and women.
“Creating jobs and focusing policy on proven methods of jump-starting the economy is critical now, especially in light of the latest employment numbers,” Sen. Jay Costa said.
|
 Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate as of August 2013 was 7.7 percent and more than 500,000 Pennsylvanians were unemployed. The national rate was 7.3 percent. Pennsylvania ranks 45th among all states in year-to-date employment growth.
For more information about the pieces of PA Works that was highlighted at the Scranton hearing please click here.
 Head Injuries in Youth Sports Addressed
Nearly two years ago, Act 101, was signed into law. The law puts into place specific guidelines on how to deal with head injuries in sports. The Safety in Youth Sports Act will help ensure that children who participate in sports are better protected. This measure is critically important for athletes, school officials, coaches, parents and administrators.
There is clearly a need: an estimated 10 percent of athletes suffer concussions – about 3.8 million sports-related concussions happen yearly. Four in 10 athletes return to action too soon.
It is important to realize the reach of the new law and its provisions.
- Requiring athletes who demonstrate symptoms of a concussion to be removed from competition;
- Prohibiting a coach from allowing a student to return to competition until they’ve been evaluated and cleared in writing;
- Requiring coaches to complete concussion management training and provides penalties for coaches who do not comply;
- Requiring that the Departments of Education and Health post information on concussions and head injuries on their websites;
- Requiring that information on head injuries be distributed to parents and students and who then have to acknowledge that they have reviewed concussion related materials;
- Requiring coaches to participate in concussion management training once per year;
- Putting into place penalties for coaches who do not comply with the law.
We need to continue to insist that our student-athletes are protected.
 Stay Connected
For updates on this and other legislative initiatives, stay in touch with me on the Internet through my website or on Facebook.
|
