Keystone State News Connection

Survey: Out-of Pocket Costs a Major Health Concern

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new survey shows Pennsylvanians are worried they can’t afford the high out-of-pocket costs for health care, and they want relief.

The survey, by Consumers for Quality Care, said Americans believe the pandemic has exposed serious flaws in the healthcare system, even though it’s done a good job getting the country through a critical time.

More than one in ten Pennsylvanians pays at least 10% of their income on insurance premiums, and 6% spend that much or more on out-of-pocket costs, like co-pays and deductibles.

Antoinette Kraus, director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, said it may prevent people from seeking the care they need when a routine physical finds a potential problem.

“Then I need to get some diagnostic testing and I have a high out-of-pocket expense, so I delay that further care, and I end up sicker and costlier down the road,” Kraus explained.

She added with so many people out of work because of COVID-19, more are delaying routine and follow-up medical visits out of concern for the high cost of care.

Jason Resendez, board member at Consumers for Quality Care, noted the survey found a large majority of voters nationwide want Congress to make healthcare cost a top priority.

“The fact that 67% of consumers said Congress needs to focus on controlling costs, I think that’s a pretty big message for policymakers to hear right now, in the midst of this pandemic,” Resendez contended.

He emphasized more than 90% of voters agree deductibles should be low enough to not be a barrier to accessing healthcare.

Kraus pointed out the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan addresses healthcare costs though the Affordable Care Act, by extending assistance for premiums in the form of tax credits. But she thinks more needs to be done.

“We need to look at the underlying cost of care, and also figuring out ways to help people who are struggling with out-of-pocket expenses,” Kraus concluded.

To help policymakers address these concerns, Consumers for Quality Care has issued a Negotiator’s Guide to Health Care Reform.

HARRISBURG, PA,  Today, Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) introduced bipartisan legislation to legalize adult use marijuana in Pennsylvania. The bill prioritizes safety, community reinvestment, social and economic equity, agriculture, and creates vital tax revenue streams for the Commonwealth.

“I’m proud to join my Republican colleague and introduce this historic, bipartisan bill to legalize marijuana,” said Senator Sharif Street. “In close collaboration with Senator Laughlin, key community groups and stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth, we developed a bill that will benefit communities across the Commonwealth. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature and with the Administration to build support for this critical legislation that aims to make Pennsylvania’s cannabis market the most diverse and inclusive in the country while enabling those who have been harmed by prohibition to seal their records and rebuild their lives.”
“While my colleague Senator Street and I come from different political parties, we see a bipartisan way forward on marijuana legalization that is premised on safety and social equity,” said State Senator Dan Laughlin. “As the marijuana movement reaches Pennsylvania, legalization must be done the right way. This bill ensures a legalized market in the Commonwealth is implemented safely and responsibly, with a thoughtful approach that provides opportunities to medical and recreational consumers, farmers, and small, medium and minority-owned businesses.”

Currently, the legal cannabis industry employs approximately 250,000 Americans and supports over 300,000 indirect jobs and full-time workers. The cannabis industry has experienced a 100 percent growth rate over the last four years and projects, with proper reform, a million more jobs can be created by 2025.

Further, this past election cycle showed that American attitudes toward cannabis have been transformed and are more mainstream than ever. In November 2020, cannabis experienced a tidal wave of legislative wins, making recreational marijuana legal now in 15 states and approved for medical use virtually nationwide. With New Jersey passing marijuana legalization this week and New York expected to legalize marijuana in their upcoming budget session, Pennsylvania is at risk of losing thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue to neighboring states.

Polling indicates that nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvanians support adult use marijuana legalization. According to testimony provided by the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office, adult-use marijuana legalization can generate between $400 million to $1 billion of new tax revenue for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Laughlin-Street Bipartisan Adult Use Cannabis Legalization Bill prioritizes safety, social and economic equity and, engages Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry. Their proposal ensures the vitality of Pennsylvania’s world-class medical marijuana industry while creating thousands of jobs and generating hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax revenue for the Commonwealth.

Safe and Legal:
• Sets the minimum marijuana consumption age at 21 years old; mandates age
verification for every purchase.
• Bans any marketing directed toward children and provides the appropriate deterrence
to keep marijuana out of the hands of anyone under 21 years old.
• Empowers law enforcement with the means to adjudicate driving under the influence, and, to pursue and eradicate an illicit market.
• Provides clarity and consistency for workplace rules regarding marijuana use for all
those operating in good faith and protects the Second Amendment rights of all
Pennsylvanians.

Social and Economic Equity:
• Expunges non-violent marijuana convictions and decriminalizes marijuana up to a
certain limit.
• Creates licenses for social and economic equity applicants and establishes that the
majority of new licensees are granted to social and economic applicants.
• Leverages Pennsylvania’s existing medical marijuana licensees to fulfill demand on an enhanced timetable while providing social and economic equity licensees the capital and know-how to succeed.
• Implements a Business Development Fund, administered by the Commonwealth
Financing Authority, to support loans, grants, and studies.
• Allows limited Home Grow for Patients

Agricultural Engagement:
• Authorizes farmers and craft growers across the Commonwealth to engage in the
cultivation of marijuana.
• Through established demand, enables any applicant who wants a license to get a license to cultivate marijuana in a manner that is safe and regulated.

New Tax Revenue and Jobs:
• The Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office projects that marijuana legalization can
generate between $400 million to $1 billion of new tax revenue for the Commonwealth.
• The proposal will create thousands of new jobs.

(File Photo)

Story  by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Center Twp., Pa.) Fire crews were called to the scene of a residential structural fire Wednesday morning in Center Twp., Beaver County.  Beaver County Coroner David J. Gabauer has confirmed that there was a fatality  in this morning’s fire in Center Township.  Gabauer said he will release more information when it becomes available.  The one story ranch style home located in the 400 block of Center Grange Road suffered extensive damage. It’s being reported that a husband and wife lived in the home and the husband was able to make it out safely with minor injuries. The wife was reported to have been rescued by first responders and they were not able to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Crews were still on scene, early this afternoon according to Center Twp. Fire Chief Bill Brucker

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Hopewell Township Solicitor  Mike Jones presented a resolution to the commissioners at last night’s meeting  regarding the paving of Route 151 in the township, and    they approved  it. The paving will be done from Stone Quarry Road to  the Five Points intersection.  Township Manager Jamie  Yurcina  said the resolution was necessary in order for PennDOT to do the project. The  date when the project is to start is known, Yurcina said..

(Muddy Creek Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are charging the driver of a single vehicle accident that occurred at 4:45 pm Tuesdy afternoon on Interstate 79 in Muddy Creek Twp..

Alicia Harper of Portersville was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry southbound at mile marker 97 when she lost control of the vehicle and drove into the embankment before the vehicle rolled on its roof. Harper sustained minor injuries and the vehicle had to be towed from the scene. Harper is being charged by Pa. State Police with not properly driving on roadways laned for traffic.

AAA: Pennsylvania Gas Prices Jump as Oil Rises, Refineries Shut Down
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is 13 cents higher this week at $2.940 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.940
Average price during the week of February 15, 2021                                $2.810
Average price during the week of February 24, 2020                                $2.721

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.993      Altoona
$2.935      Beaver
$2.981      Bradford
$2.964      Brookville
$2.979      Butler
$2.921      Clarion
$2.959      DuBois
$2.982      Erie
$2.783      Greensburg
$2.996      Indiana
$2.869      Jeannette
$2.968      Kittanning
$2.710      Latrobe
$2.982      Meadville
$2.997      Mercer
$2.831      New Castle
$2.972      New Kensington
$2.963      Oil City
$2.945      Pittsburgh
$2.974      Sharon
$2.989      Uniontown
$2.998      Warren
$2.954      Washington

Trend Analysis:
Motorists are filling-up to some of the most expensive gas prices seen in more than a year. On the week, 66% of state averages spiked by double digits (10–22 cents), driving the national average up by 13 cents to $2.63. That is the most expensive national average since October 2019.

The two major factors at play are rising crude oil prices and the forced shutdown of Gulf Coast and some Mid-West refineries due to last week’s winter weather.

While domestic gasoline stocks are at a relatively healthy level, the shutdowns have tightened supply nationwide. Close to 40% of U.S. crude production is offline because of the refinery closures. Two dozen impacted refiners are expected to restart operations this week, if they haven’t already, which means that regular gasoline deliveries will resume, and impacted stations will be re-fueled. While prices will likely remain volatile until crude production is back to normal levels, large spikes at the pump are likely to subside.

Crude oil prices are hovering around $60 today (West Texas Intermediate), which is about $12-13 more expensive than the beginning of the year. Oil prices took a step back last week amid market concern that demand may not rebound as previously expected, but then pushed higher due to supply and delivery impacts from the winter storm. Prices were also bolstered by the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest weekly report revealing total domestic crude inventories dropped by 7.3 million barrels, bringing the supply level to 461.8 million barrels.

The EIA’s latest demand measurement of 8.4 million b/d is the highest reported since early November of last year. However, AAA expects that number to be lower in this Wednesday’s report as last week’s winter storm took motorists off the road.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

(Washington, D.C.) Tomorrow could be a big day in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic as the FDA meets to discuss the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Last Thursday, Johnson & Johnson told congress it could get 20 million doses out nationwide if it’s approved.

Johnson & Johnson is only one dose shot and doesn’t require any special refrigeration compared to Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines already on the market.

The only draw back of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is that during trials it was about 25% less effective than the two vaccines.

Yesterday, Pfizer and Moderna also committed to an additional 145 million doses shipped nationwide by the end of March.

(File Photo of PJ Caul Park)

(Ambridge, Pa.) One day after a brother and sister were supposedly shot to death by their mother inside a home on Maplewood Ave. a vigil was held to honor them at PJ Caul last night. Members of the community  gathered in the park to remember them.