The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has taken bold action to safeguard the Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections, passing a set of four bills with bipartisan support to enshrine health care rights into state law.
With 101 Democrats and 32 Republicans backing the legislation, the bills now head to a Republican-controlled state Senate, where their fate remains uncertain. Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro has pledged to sign the measures if they reach his desk.
The motivation behind the legislative push is clear: fears that federal changes under President Donald Trump’s administration could dismantle critical ACA provisions. As Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis put it, “We can’t wait for D.C. politicians to take away our health care rights. We must act now to protect Pennsylvanians.”
The four bills passed by the House are designed to ensure essential healthcare rights regardless of potential federal rollbacks:
- House Bill 755 (The Health Insurance Preventive Services Coverage Act), sponsored by Rep. Perry Warren, requires insurers to cover preventive health services without cost-sharing.
- House Bill 535 (The Health Insurance Protections Against Limitations Act), led by Rep. Dan Frankel, bans insurance companies from capping essential benefit coverage.
- House Bill 404 (The Health Insurance for Young Adults Act), introduced by Rep. Eddie Pashinski, guarantees insurance coverage for young adults on their parents’ plans until age 26.
- House Bill 618 (The Health Insurance Access Protections Act), crafted by Rep. Jim Haddock, prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obama Care, was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010 and established crucial protections that Republicans have attempted to repeal over 50 times, according to the University of Pennsylvania’s Regulatory Review. With President Trump promising to “replace” the ACA in his second term, Pennsylvania Democrats are determined to enshrine these safeguards into state law before federal actions can strip them away.
Despite bipartisan backing in the House, Senate Republicans remain cautious. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman has described the effort as premature and criticized Democrats for “fearmongering.” According to Pittman, Republicans prefer policies that encourage economic growth to expand access to private health insurance rather than mandating coverage protections.
The House votes saw some Republican support, with at least 20 GOP members voting for each bill. However, the measures will face a tougher challenge in the Republican-majority Senate, where previous attempts to pass similar legislation stalled in committee. The political stakes are high, as Democrats argue these protections are essential for health care coverage Pennsylvania residents rely on.
For Bucks County residents, their representatives largely supported the bills. All five Democrats from the county voted in favor, as did most of the county’s Republican representatives, with Craig Staats being the lone exception. The Bucks County lawmaker’s vote showcased a level of bipartisan agreement that may prove critical if the bills are to pass the Senate.
