PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Health officials are providing an update on just how many Pennsylvanian’s are dropping their health insurance through the state.
During Wednesday’s House budget hearing, Pennie — Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace — said that nearly 20,000 people dropped their health coverage in just February alone.
Pennie reported previously that nearly 85,000 Pennsylvanians were forced to drop coverage due to rising costs.
The executive director of Pennie — Devon Trolley — says that number has now increased to nearly 104,000 people statewide who had to end their coverage.
She says those numbers are growing larger every day and blames Congress did not extend the enhanced premium tax credits, which for years helped lower costs and increase enrollment.
However, she says the state could help mitigate some of those impacts.
“Act 54 of 2024 created a state affordability program to lower health plan costs through Pennie. This program is not currently funded but funding it now could allow tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians to gain coverage, improving the outlook for households, local economies and the healthcare system overall.”
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Trolley says that people do not stop being sick just because they do not have coverage and states that this issue is weakening our healthcare system, especially in rural areas.