Governor Rendell Offers adultBasic Coverage to 35,000 Uninsured Penn...( HARRISBURG Pa. Aug. 30 -- As par...),Health

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of his work to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to quality, affordable health insurance, Governor Edward G. Rendell today said 35,000 uninsured individuals who have been waiting to enroll in the adultBasic Insurance Program will be given the opportunity to receive health coverage at a monthly premium of $33.50.

"Having health insurance brings a sense of security and peace of mind that every Pennsylvanian deserves," said Governor Rendell. "That is why I continue to push for enactment of Cover All Pennsylvanians program as part of my Prescription for Pennsylvania health care reform initiative."

People who are on the waiting list for adultBasic have the option to pay about $305 a month for this coverage. If they had to buy private health insurance, they would pay considerably more.

There are currently more than 44,000 Pennsylvanians enrolled in the program. Since the Governor took office, there have been 14 wait-list offerings to nearly 230,000 individuals. This latest offering will reduce the adultBasic waiting list from 111,000 people to roughly 76,000.

AdultBasic offers necessary benefits -- including preventative care, physician services, diagnosis and treatment of illness or injury, in-patient hospitalization, out-patient hospital services, emergency accident care and medical care -- to uninsured Pennsylvanians between the ages of 19 and 64. For eligibility and enrollment information, call 1-800-GO-BASIC or visit the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's Web site, http://www.ins.state.pa.us.

AdultBasic is funded by proceeds from the commonwealth's share of the national tobacco settlement and is augmented through General Fund allocations and through the Community Health Reinvestment Agreement negotiated by the state with Pennsylvania's four Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.

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