Committee Approves Hazardous Site Cleanup Bill

Proposal to extend MCARE program also advances

Approvals by committees of bills to fund hazardous site clean up efforts and to extend a program that helps Pennsylvania's health care providers pay their medical malpractice insurance premiums highlighted the actions during the state Senate session week of October 22, according to Senator Bob Robbins (R-50).

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee approved Senate Bill 1100 to provide a new funding stream for Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA) projects from existing state revenues.

"We recognize the need to adequately fund the important projects covered by HSCA," Senator Robbins said. "This legislation provides the framework for ensuring that the program receives that money without placing an additional burden on citizens through new taxes or fees."

Previously, the committee approved Senate Bill 1068 which would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to deposit any HSCA-related fine money into the Hazardous Site Cleanup Fund.

Also this week, the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee approved Senate Bill 266, also known as the Pennsylvania Global Warming Act. This measure requires the state Department of Environmental Protection to prepare and publish a report on the potential impact of global warming and climate change. The DEP will be required to submit the report within six months of the effective date of the act.

The report shall include:

Scientific predictions regarding temperature and precipitation patterns and amounts
Potential impact on human health, various aspects of the economy, management of economic risk, and other significant uncertainties
Economic opportunities for the Commonwealth

On Wednesday, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved Senate Bill 1137, a measure co-sponsored by Senator Robbins that would extend the authorization of the MCARE (Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error) program for one year, while preparing for its eventual elimination.

Changes in the marketplace and the success of a reform package passed by the Legislature and enacted by Governor Mark Schweiker in 2002 means Pennsylvania will likely be able to phase out the program in the foreseeable future, according to Senator White.

The five-year-old program helps physicians pay a portion of their medical malpractice insurance premiums. The fund helps pay toward the cost of the $500,000 in MCARE fund coverage that the state requires each doctor to secure, in addition to the $500,000 in primary coverage from the private marketplace. MCARE assistance is financed primarily by a 25-cent tax on cigarettes and a surcharge on traffic citations.

SB 1137 allows the state Insurance Commissioner to more gradually shift health care providers from publicly funded to privately-purchased medical malpractice insurance coverage.

Contact:

Michael Hengst
(717) 787-1322