Rep. Alec Ryncavage

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania hospitals to publish their standard prices for medical items and services on their websites and provide these lists to the public upon request. The law mandates that hospitals display both a comprehensive list of all charges and a simplified, consumer-friendly version for specific services that patients can schedule in advance. Additionally, the bill prohibits hospitals from taking debt collection actions against patients if the hospital fails to comply with these price transparency requirements. By enforcing these rules, the legislation aims to increase clarity on healthcare costs for patients while holding hospitals accountable for maintaining accurate pricing information.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires private health insurers and state-managed health plans to cover biomarker testing when it is used to diagnose, treat, or monitor a specific disease or condition. The legislation defines biomarker testing as the analysis of tissue, blood, or other biological samples to identify indicators of biological processes, while explicitly excluding coverage for general screening purposes. Coverage for these tests must follow the same rules as other medical services, including standard cost-sharing and medical necessity reviews, and the changes will take effect 180 days after the bill is signed.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution urges the U.S. Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act, which would allow medically retired service members to receive both their retirement pay and VA disability benefits simultaneously. Currently, the law reduces retirement pay by the amount of disability compensation received, a restriction that affects an estimated 50,000 veterans who retired due to service-related injuries. The bill aims to eliminate this offset so that all medically retired personnel can access their full financial entitlements without penalty. The resolution is a symbolic call to action rather than a law itself, directing Pennsylvania lawmakers to lobby federal legislators for this policy change.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 1684 updates state laws regarding child custody by establishing clearer definitions for terms like "equal parenting time" and "supervised physical custody." The bill introduces a rebuttable presumption that shared physical custody and equal parenting time are in a child's best interest during temporary custody orders, requiring courts to maximize time with each parent unless specific factors suggest otherwise. It also outlines new procedures for obtaining temporary custody orders based on affidavits and agreements, while expanding the list of factors judges must consider, including any criminal convictions of the parents. These changes aim to standardize how courts evaluate custody arrangements and ensure that parenting plans are explicitly detailed in legal orders.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's tax laws by adjusting personal income tax rates and eliminating a specific tax on the gross receipts from the sale of electric energy. It requires electric utilities to pass the savings from these tax changes directly to consumers through reductions in state tax surcharges, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 for companies that fail to do so. Additionally, the legislation mandates that $6 million annually be transferred to the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund starting in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The bill also establishes a revenue-neutral reconciliation rule that will remain in effect until the end of 2024.