HARRISBURG – Seeking to relieve working families across PA dealing with medical debt, Allegheny County Rep. Arvind Venkat has introduced legislation to address medical debt and is pushing to include funding for medical debt relief in this year’s state budget. As an emergency physician and a state legislator, Venkat says he has talked to many families who are heavily burdened by medical debt, with many choosing to avoid health services they need just to afford to put food on the table. With a $15 million investment in a state-level program, Venkat estimates up to $1.5 billion of medical debt could be eliminated. He recently introduced House Bill 78, which would create the PA Medical Debt Relief Program. The bill awaits consideration by the House Health Committee.
REP. ARVIND VENKAT