LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: $226M headed to 376,000 Pennsylvanians through Property Tax/Rent Rebate program

WILKES-BARRE — The Shapiro Administration has announced the expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program will deliver $226.4 million to nearly 376,000 Pennsylvanians starting this week.

This initial round of rebates began being distributed on Wednesday, July 1, to seniors, widows and widowers, and residents with disabilities who applied for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2025.

The expansion increased the maximum standard rebate to $1,000 (up from the prior $650 max), raised income eligibility limits for homeowners and renters, and tied the income limits to cost-of-living adjustments. Thanks to this change, the income limit for rebate applicants is now $48,110 — up more than $1,500 from last year.

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U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, introduced legislation this week to strengthen coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Through this coordination, Bresnahan said the Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act would prevent duplicative billing, reduce waste, and better protect taxpayer dollars.

Bresnahan first spoke about his legislation during a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee Hearing this week.

“Veterans who have served our country deserve a healthcare system that works for them, not bad-faith providers taking advantage of the system,” said Bresnahan. “This legislation protects taxpayer dollars and makes sure healthcare resources are being used the way they were intended to.”

Many veterans receive healthcare through the VA while also being enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. Although the federal government currently shares limited information to help prevent duplicate payments under traditional Medicare, Bresnahan said gaps remain for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid, leaving taxpayer dollars vulnerable to improper payments.

Bresnahan said the Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act would require the VA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a two-year data-sharing agreement that expands coordination across Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid. He said the legislation would direct the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and CMS to share relevant enrollment, billing, and diagnostic information to identify instances of duplicate or improper payments and submit a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of the partnership.

Bresnahan said the Protect Seniors and Veterans from Healthcare Fraud Act supports ongoing efforts to modernize the VA, strengthen accountability, and ensure federal health care programs operate more efficiently for veterans, seniors, and taxpayers alike.

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