Rep. Bresnahan says he reaffirms commitment to improving health care for NEPA

WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. on Wednesday announced his support for 50 health care bills directly in response to the specific needs and challenges brought forward by families across Northeast Pennsylvania.

To better understand these needs, Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, said he has sat down to meet with hundreds of local stakeholders, from patients fighting cancer, to parents of children with rare diseases, to the doctors, nurses, and hospital workers who care for them on the front lines every day.

“Over my first 11 months in Congress, families across NEPA have shared their struggles and their hopes for better access to care, lower costs, and stronger treatments and research,” Bresnahan said in a news release. “I promised them I would never stop fighting to improve the health and well-being of our communities, especially our most vulnerable. These bills are about keeping that promise. It ensures NEPA families can count on affordable, dependable care close to home. I look forward to continuing this work and doing even more in my second year.”

The legislation Rep. Bresnahan co-sponsored includes bills to increase access to early detection cancer screenings, enhance transparency in the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) industry, improve benefits for service members and veterans, build on research efforts into rare diseases and cancers, expand insurance coverage for children and working families, boost Medicare coverage and resources for seniors, and more.

Among the bills co-sponsored is H.R. 5145, the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act, which would provide an extension of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits established by the Affordable Care Act in order to develop a long-term solution.