HB 1184 imposes a temporary pause on new or expanded health insurance coverage requirements (mandated benefits) in Pennsylvania. It directly affects insurers and employers who would otherwise be required to cover new treatments, equipment, or provider-specific services under health insurance policies. The bill requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study existing state-mandated health benefits by December 2026, analyzing their costs, fiscal impact, and effectiveness. The study must also determine if current mandates trigger federal payment obligations. The moratorium takes effect immediately and remains in place until the committee submits its report.
HB 120 requires parental or guardian consent for most minors to receive vaccines in Pennsylvania. Specifically, it mandates that individuals under 18 who haven't graduated high school, aren't pregnant, and aren't legally emancipated cannot consent to vaccines without a parent or guardian's permission. The bill also overrides any local laws (such as city or county rules) that might allow minors to consent to vaccines without parental approval, making those local rules invalid. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 1962 prohibits state agencies from providing funding or entering contracts with individuals or entities that provide or are affiliated with abortion-related activities. It requires people enrolled in medical assistance programs to certify they are not engaging in such activities. The bill also mandates the Department of Human Services to establish procedures for verifying these attestations and enforcing the restrictions. These provisions directly impact state-funded programs, healthcare providers receiving state contracts, and medical assistance beneficiaries. The bill is currently under review by the Health committee.
SB 420 amends Pennsylvania's Osteopathic Medical Practice Act to limit when complaints against osteopathic physicians must be disclosed to the public. It prevents physicians from having to share complaint details with patients or others if the state board determines no disciplinary action is needed and the complaint is closed without any penalty. This applies specifically to osteopathic physicians licensed under the Act in Pennsylvania, affecting how complaint records are handled. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 581, titled the Parental Rights in Education Act, prohibits public schools from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It requires schools to notify parents in writing before providing health care services (like mental health support) or administering well-being questionnaires/surveys to K-5 students, including an option for parents to withhold consent. Schools must also allow parents access to their child's education and health records and cannot retaliate against students who report violations. The bill creates a legal right for students or parents to sue schools for noncompliance within 180 days of a violation.
HB 298 (Pennsylvania, 2025) requests federal approval for a waiver to change how medical assistance eligibility is managed for certain adults. It would allow Pennsylvania to deny eligibility for up to six months if nondisabled, nonpregnant adults aged 19-64 fail to report changes affecting their benefits, require biannual eligibility reviews (instead of annual), and eliminate automatic renewal requirements. The bill directly affects adults in this age group who don’t report income or other changes impacting their medical assistance. If approved, the state must report the waiver to state officials and publish it in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This focuses on administrative process changes, not eligibility criteria.
This bill amends Pennsylvania law to prohibit healthcare providers from using telemedicine to prescribe certain medications to patients within the state. Specifically, it disallows the use of telemedicine for medications that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated with a "risk evaluation and mitigation strategy." These strategies are special safety programs implemented by the FDA for medications with specific serious risks. The aim is to enhance medication safety by ensuring such medications are not prescribed remotely via telemedicine.
HB 1807 requires Pennsylvania Medicaid enrollees aged 18 or older (who are physically and mentally capable of work) to work 20 hours weekly or complete 12 monthly job training activities to maintain coverage. Non-compliance results in temporary loss of Medicaid eligibility (3, then 6, then 9 months), with penalties applying after a second year of employment. The bill includes exemptions for full-time students, people with disabilities, pregnant individuals, those receiving Supplemental Security Income, and others in specific circumstances. It mandates annual federal waiver applications to implement these requirements, starting March 1, 2026. The policy directly affects working-age adults on Medicaid who do not qualify for exemptions.
HB 1841 amends Pennsylvania's abortion laws to require healthcare providers to provide specific information to patients before performing an abortion, directly affecting abortion providers and patients seeking the procedure. The bill mandates that providers give additional details about the procedure, potential risks, and alternatives to informed consent. It also includes provisions requiring medical education for healthcare professionals regarding abortion care. These changes aim to standardize patient information and provider training within the state's legal framework for abortion services.
HB 165 amends Pennsylvania's abortion law to require pain relief medication for fetuses over 15 weeks' gestation during abortion procedures, directly affecting abortion providers performing such procedures. The bill adds a new provision (Section 3204(b.1)) stating that pain relief medication must be administered prior to the procedure unless the physician knows the pregnant person has an adverse reaction to it or a medical emergency prevents timely administration. This change applies specifically to abortions at or beyond 15 weeks' gestation. The law would take effect 60 days after enactment. It focuses on procedural requirements for medical care during abortion, not on restricting access.
