Governor Corbett’s FY 2013-2014 budget proposal would increase access to health care in rural and underserved areas by funding community health centers and additional medical services, as well as by expanding programs to help attract and retain health care practitioners.
Corbett’s $5 million health proposal expands upon Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Senator Edwin Erickson (R-Chester), which provides $4 million to establish the Community-Based Health Care Subsidy Program as a way for the commonwealth to create new community-based health care clinics and expand services at existing clinics. These community-based clinics will create immediate access to or enhance preventative primary care services to underserved areas and uninsured individuals.
The remaining $1 million would be dedicated to the Primary Health Practitioner Loan Repayment Program (LRP) to recruit and retain health care providers in rural and underserved areas. The LRP expansion will create 24 new loan repayment slots for physicians, dentists and other health care practitioners.