Gov. Tom Wolf Announces Health Reform Package

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Gov. Tom Wolf announced a health reform package Friday, saying he wants to make health care more affordable, hold corporations accountable and address inequities "resulting from systemic racism."

"True reform means focusing on every aspect of a person that contributes to their health. Even before the pandemic, there were warning signs that Pennsylvania's health care system wasn't working for everyone," Gov. Tom Wolf said.

"Many Pennsylvanians found it hard to pay their medical bills due to rising health care costs, including families who have health care coverage and often have to pay higher premiums and more out-of-pocket costs every year."

He says an estimated 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are expected to become uninsured as a result of the pandemic.

The three main components of the governor's plan include an interagency health reform council, five regional accountable health councils across the state and a health value commission.

The governor's office says the interagency health reform council would develop recommendations by Dec. 30 to find efficiencies in the health care system.

The regional accountable health councils would be required to collectively develop regional transformation plans to reduce disparities.

And the Wolf administrations says the health value commission would be led by 15 commissioners appointed by the governor and the General Assembly to keep payors and providers accountable for health care cost growth.