HARRISBURG—Attorney General Shapiro today joined a multistate partnership led by California, Michigan, and North Carolina, in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging them to immediately develop and implement an outreach plan to inform the millions of Americans who have lost – or may lose – their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage that they are eligible to obtain health insurance through Healthcare.gov, the federal exchange. In the letter, the Attorneys General highlight the importance of providing families with the information and tools they need to navigate their healthcare options and access coverage during the unprecedented international healthcare crisis posed by COVID-19.

“Right now, Pennsylvanians are focused on keeping their families safe and healthy,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “I’m calling on Secretary Azar and Administrator Verma to do the right thing and help those wrestling with this pandemic obtain healthcare coverage on the federal exchange, so we can ensure the continued health and safety of our communities.”

The ACA requires the HHS Secretary to provide yearly open enrollment periods on the Exchanges to permit individuals to enroll in new or different healthcare coverage. Outside of this period, individuals may enroll in coverage through the Exchange if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to certain life events such as loss of employment offering healthcare coverage. Informing individuals of the potential for replacing the coverage they have lost by enrolling through Healthcare.gov is vital, as most Americans obtain their healthcare coverage through their employer. In 2018, over half of individuals under age 65 had insurance through an employer.

The importance of this outreach will only increase as the economic upheaval of this crisis continues to expand. A new study by the Health Management Associates estimates that 35 million people could lose their employer-sponsored coverage due to layoffs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This same study estimates that the economic impact to the labor market could disproportionately impact the roughly 58 million non-elderly individuals who have employer-sponsored coverage and earn less than $50,000 per year. This heavily-hit population could greatly benefit from navigating their options on the Exchanges where they may qualify for subsidies to help pay for healthcare coverage.

The coalition expresses concern that, without immediate and widespread outreach, Americans who have recently been laid off will not know that they can enroll now and thus not access needed healthcare coverage. Evidence shows that marketplace advertising and consumer assistance increases enrollment numbers and stabilizes markets. Yet, over the last few years, the Trump Administration has actively cut marketplace advertising and consumer assistance. HHS, as the operator of Healthcare.gov, must step in to get the word out to consumers in the 38 states that rely on the federal Exchange–including Pennsylvania. HHS should also ensure that outreach materials are translated into the same range of languages as other HHS vital documents in order to ensure meaningful access to information about enrollment.

The Attorneys General urge HHS to empower individuals and working families across the country to pursue the best coverage option for them, whether it is Exchange coverage, COBRA, Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. While the federal government’s promise to reimburse for the testing and treatment of COVID-19 for the uninsured is a step in the right direction, it will not help provide these Americans the comprehensive healthcare they so desperately need and could leave many families with large hospital and insurance bills in the long-run.

In sending the letter, Attorney General Shapiro joined the attorneys general of  California, Michigan, North Carolina, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Legislation to Help Secure Paychecks & Healthcare for School Contract Workers During Pandemic Passes PA General Assembly

Today, Senator Pam Iovino (D – Allegheny & Washington) announced that her legislation to provide consistent protections for all school contractors during the COVID-19 pandemic passed the Pennsylvania House and Senate as an amendment incorporated into Senate Bill 841, an omnibus COVID-19 response bill which passed the General Assembly along bipartisan lines. Senate Bill 841 also includes provisions to allow e-notary services, which will help families to remotely manage the estates of loved ones, and to aid the operations of municipalities by allowing them to meet remotely and to postpone certain statutory deadlines for pending municipal action. The legislation is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

The first COVID-19 response bill passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor as Act 13 of 2020 allowed school entities to renegotiate contracts, specifically for school bus transportation services, with the goal of ensuring contracted personnel and fixed costs are maintained during closure. The inclusion of Senator Iovino’s legislation in Senate Bill 841 extends this protection to apply consistently to all other contract service providers, including but not limited to food service, custodial, and security contracts.

“The men and women who work in our schools as contractors are eager to contribute to our children’s education but are unable to due to the necessary physical closure of schools. As a result, the income, healthcare coverage, and economic security of some of these workers and their families are at risk,” said Senator Iovino. “The protections for all school contract workers in this legislation mean consistency for all workers in schools across the Commonwealth during this unprecedented crisis.”

A year after blaze, Notre Dame restoration halted by virus
By ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — A year after a devastating fire, the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral has been halted by a lockdown in Paris to battle the coronavirus. The April 15, 2019, blaze gutted its interior, toppled its famous spire and horrified the world. The medieval landmark that is the jewel of Paris remains locked in a dangerous web of twisted metal scaffolding that was erected for an earlier renovation. Plans to start removing the 250 tons of scaffolding are on hold amid the pandemic and all of the workers have been sent home. But for the archbishop of Paris, “life is still here” in a cathedral that brings hope for a nation in anguish because of the virus.

(Beaver County, PA) It seems that these are times when we all could use a little good news to help carry us through these dark times created by the reaction to the coronavirus pandemic reaction.  Well, there is some “Good News From The Mountain” being broadcast later this evening on WBVP, WMBA , 99.3 F.M. and the BCR Live Audio Stream from 7  to 7:30 P.M.  Pastor Rod Smith, who normally hosts the weekly Wednesday night worship at Mountain Ministries, will be featured in a half hour recorded segment.   Like all mass gatherings in Pennsylvania, Mountain Ministries has had to temporarily suspend their in person services at Prayer Mountain in Darlington, PA due to the current stay at home orders from PA Governor Tom Wolfe. “Good News From The Mountain” will be a way for Mountain Ministries to stay in touch with their worshipers as well as anyone else tuning in on the radio who needs a little positive insight from a faith based perspective during the traditional gathering hiatus.

“Good News From The Mountain”  will be heard every Wednesday night from 7 to 7:30 P.M. and is an outreach of Mountain Ministries.

(Hopewell Twp., PA) Hopewell Township  Police Chief  Brian Uhrmacher announced this morning in addition 2 losing 2 current colleagues in law enforcement this past weekend, we suffered the loss of a retired member of our department , Officer Greg Gozur, who died following a lengthly illness.   He was a U.S. Navy veteran  and served in the Vietnam War.  His years of service with   the Hopewell Township Police Department  included involvement with the DUI TASK FORCE..

In retirement , he served as a Civil Service Commissioner and continued to have n assisting role  with the DUI Task Force. It is clear that Greg loved his family, this community and being a Hopewell Township police Officer. Rest in peace sir!

Click the play button below to hear Beaver County News Correspondent Sandy Giordano’s report.

Former Royals, Cubs manager Jim Frey dies at age 88
SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) — Former big league manager Jim Frey has died at age 88. Frey managed the Kansas City Royals to the 1980 AL pennant and the Chicago Cubs within one win of the 1984 World Series. Frey became friends in high school with future big league Don Zimmer, then spent 14 years in the minor leagues without reaching the majors. His 1980 Royals swept the Yankees in the ALCS, then lost to Philadelphia in a six-game World Series. His Cubs wasted a 2-0 lead against San Diego in the 1984 NLCS.

Fauci: ‘We’re not there yet’ on key steps to reopen economy
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and JULIE PACE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s top infectious disease expert says the U.S. still lacks critical testing and other procedures needed to begin reopening the nation’s economy, adding a dose of caution to increasingly optimistic projections from the White House. Dr. Anthony Fauci told The Associated Press that easing off strict social-distancing rules would be on a “rolling” basis around the country. He says localities should be prepared to see new COVID-19 cases when that happens and act quickly to contain them. Asked about May 1, an increasingly discussed target date, Fauci called that possible but “a bit overly optimistic.”

Mail-in, absentee ballot applications surge for June primary
By MARK SCOLFORO and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania counties have processed about 283,000 applications for mail-in and absentee ballots, and nearly three times more applicants are from Democrats compared to Republicans. The state’s primary has been moved back to June 2, so the numbers are likely to continue to climb. Four years ago, before mail-in balloting was allowed in the state, about 84,000 Pennsylvanians cast primary votes by absentee ballot. Officials say concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak are driving interest in remote voting. The Health Department said Tuesday that 60 new deaths from the coronavirus were reported over the past day, raising the total to 584.

Obama endorses Biden, says former VP has ‘qualities we need’
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE, JULIE PACE and BILL BARROW Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Joe Biden in a video saying Biden has “all the qualities we need in a president right now.” That gives Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, a boost from the party’s biggest fundraiser and one of its most popular figures. Obama and Biden are known to be close friends from their two terms in the White House, and Biden leaned heavily on his affiliation with Obama throughout the Democratic primary. Obama released a 12-minute video on Tuesday endorsing his former vice president. Obama is eager to take a more active public role in the campaign, aides say.

(HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa.)  Sharon Powell, of North Huntingdon, is accused of intentionally coughing on a drive-thru worker at a McDonald’s on Route 30 in Hempfield Township and telling the worker “l hope you get COVID-19 and die”.  Powell was allegedly upset because about her drink. She tried to hand it back through the window when she was told food items are not allowed to re-enter the restaurant and that the to-go cup holders were being used to avoid contact during the coronavirus pandemic. A license plate number was used by police to determine the vehicle was registered to Powell. The worker identified her by her photo of her driver’s license.

Powell is charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment and disorderly conduct.