House Health Committee Informational Meeting on Community Health Workers - March 3rd, 2025 Read more
Joint House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and Health Committee Informational Meeting on Avian Influenza - February 26th, 2025 Read more
A bipartisan Pennsylvania House bill on food allergy safety authored by two Allegheny County lawmakers could see a floor vote this week. Read more
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers who serve Allegheny County are trying to advance a proposed bill that would require restaurants to add allergy warnings for customers and employees. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 5 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat and Natalie Mihalek’s legislation that would promote food allergy safety in multiple ways passed the Pennsylvania House today. House Bill 77 would mandate that menus in restaurants and food establishments contain a disclaimer regarding food allergies and that there are posters to make servers aware of food allergies present in food preparation and staff areas. “This bill would put in place commonsense food safety practices focused on preventing food allergy exposures and, most importantly, saving as many lives as possible,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “Thank you to Rep. Mihalek for her partnership on this legislation and to my fellow House members for putting the lives of Pennsylvanians first with your affirmative votes.” “Food safety continues to be an important topic, and for good reason, as our citizens deserve to have confidence that the food they are eating doesn’t pose a threat. This bill is just one important step in providing that confidence,” added Mihalek, R-Allegheny. “Rep. Venkat has been a strong advocate on this issue, and it was an honor to work with him.” More than 33 million Americans have food allergies, and it is estimated that food allergies lead to 200 deaths per year. Over a 13-year period, nearly half of fatal food allergy reactions were caused by accidental food allergen exposure at a restaurant or other food service Read more
Health Committee Voting Packet - February 5th, 2025 Read more
The legislation would ensure that operating rooms utilize surgical smoke evacuation systems to combat the adverse health effects of surgical smoke. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel praised Gov. Josh Shapiro’s call during Tuesday’s budget address to finally legalize cannabis in Pennsylvania – and to do so in a way that puts Pennsylvanians first. “Very soon, the House Health Committee will hold the first votes in the history of the General Assembly to legalize and regulate cannabis, joining our neighbor states at the same time that we ensure that the benefits are enjoyed by Pennsylvanian communities, workers and businesses,” said Frankel, a prime cosponsor with Rep. Rick Krajewski of a legalization bill they are preparing to introduce . Frankel echoed Shapiro’s statement before the General Assembly, agreeing that Pennsylvania cannot afford to wait, now that 24 other states – including nearly every state that shares a border in Pennsylvania – have already legalized recreational cannabis. “We share the governor's vision of setting up a marketplace that will help small businesses and farms thrive in the long term, even within what we know is a cutthroat industry that heavily favors multi-state operators elsewhere,” Frankel said. The Health Committee held six hearings in the 2023-2024 legislative session to examine the successes and failures of cannabis programs in other states. The resulting bill would work through a hybrid system of bolstered state retail operations, privately owned on-site Read more
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 29 – State Rep. Dan Frankel’s bill to bolster safety and confidence in the commonwealth’s medical marijuana products won bipartisan approval from the House Health Committee Wednesday, paving the way for stronger patient protections overseen by the Department of Health. Frankel, who is majority chairman of the House Health Committee, said weaknesses in consumer protections were revealed in a series of hearings held by the Health Committee in the previous session, and by incidences of contamination , inaccurate labeling and deceptive practices in other states. “We need to make sure that patients have the same level of confidence in medical marijuana products as they do in the prescriptions that they fill at their local pharmacies,” Frankel said. “Patients deserve to know that these products are what they say they are in terms of THC levels and that they are uncontaminated by mold, pesticides or heavy metals.” House Bill 33 would provide for improved compliance testing, product audits, statistical analyses, transparency and inspections of labs, which serve as the last line of defense to prevent patients from unknowingly consuming substances that can have both immediate and long-term health consequences. The bill would direct the Department of Health to ensure that labs report accurate results and would also require stability testing in some circumstances to ensure the Read more
Health Committee Voting Packet - January 29th, 2025 Read more
A bipartisan group of state legislators have re-introduced a proposal to create a medical debt relief program that could erase hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills. Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 22 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat and Jamie Flick have introduced a bipartisan bill that would create and disseminate materials integral to recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose to empower Pennsylvanians to save the lives of their fellow citizens. House Bill 269 would require Pennsylvania’s Department of Health to develop a poster explaining: the signs of an opioid-related overdose. what to do in the event of an opioid-related overdose. where to find an opioid antagonist such as Naloxone. where to find additional resources and information. The poster would be made available online to download for private use and displayed in public places to increase awareness of how to recognize and respond to opioid-related overdoses. “Our country and state remain mired in the deadly grip of opioid addiction, so providing resources to decrease loss of life is essential,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “I’ve treated countless patients suffering from overdoses as an emergency physician, and informing family members that their loved ones have passed is truly heartbreaking. “I want to thank Rep. Flick for being a co-prime sponsor on this legislation, which strives to save the lives of as many Pennsylvanians as possible, and the Stop the Judgement Project , led by neighbors of mine in Franklin Park , for their tireless advocacy that led to this legislation.” “I could not be more thrilled to work Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 16 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat, Nate Davidson, Tarik Khan, Bridget M. Kosierowski, Andrew Kuzma, Jim Rigby and Tim Twardzik have introduced a bipartisan bill that would create the Pennsylvania Medical Debt Relief Program. The legislation ( H.B. 79 ) would target the medical debt of low-income Pennsylvania residents for relief. The Pennsylvania Medical Debt Relief Program would also improve the finances of health care institutions and providers, concentrated largely in rural Pennsylvania, that regularly carry debt that is less likely to be repaid. Furthermore, the legislation would enact provisions to ensure transparency in existing hospital charity care programs and provide assistance in applying for charity care to prevent the accumulation of new medical debt. “Medical debt has been dubbed a ‘uniquely American problem,’ so it’s my hope that our bill will help provide relief to as many Pennsylvanians as possible,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “I’m proud to partner with bipartisan colleagues on this legislation that reduces the burden of affording medical care and allows families to put more food on the table.” “This legislation is more than just a policy – it's a lifeline that restores dignity, empowers families, and ensures that health does not come at the cost of hardship. I’m proud to sponsor this bipartisan measure so that vulnerable Pennsylvanians can focus on their Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 13 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat and Natalie Mihalek have introduced legislation that would promote food allergy safety in multiple ways. House Bill 77 would mandate that menus in restaurants and food establishments contain a disclaimer regarding food allergies, posters to make servers aware of food allergies must be present in food preparation and staff areas, and establishment staff would be required to undergo food allergy safety training. “The last thing anyone should worry about while enjoying a meal with their family and friends is having a medical emergency brought on by a food allergy,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “Rep. Mihalek and I want to help ensure there are measures in place to keep Pennsylvanians protected from accidental food allergen exposures and their hazardous health effects.” “The scariest part is that someone with food allergies could do everything right, such as carrying EpiPens and asking questions, and still have a serious problem. A little information can go a long way in avoiding future catastrophes,” added Mihalek, R-Allegheny. “I’m happy to be working with Rep. Venkat on this bipartisan bill.” More than 33 million Americans have food allergies, and it is estimated that food allergies lead to 200 deaths per year. Over a 13-year period, nearly half of fatal food allergy reactions were caused by accidental food allergen exposure at a restaurant or other food Read more
HARRISBURG, Jan. 9 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat and Kristin Marcell have introduced bills that would enhance licensure flexibility for physician assistants related to their supervising physicians and allow Pennsylvania to join an interstate medical compact. The legislative package, H.B. 75 and H.B. 76 , would amend the physician licensure acts in Pennsylvania to allow physician assistants to work with either classification of physician -- a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine -- without having to align with the physician’s license type. Current law requires that physician assistants and supervising physicians must be licensed by the same state board. “Something as innocuous as red tape can mean the difference between life and death for patients, and it’s my duty as a physician-legislator to eliminate such unnecessary barriers,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “Representative Marcell and I are steadfast in our resolve to get these bills signed into law and safeguard the health of all Pennsylvanians.” “This legislation is a practical step toward reducing administrative burdens, allowing physician assistants and their supervising doctors to collaborate more effectively for the benefit of patients," Marcell, R-Bucks, added. "By streamlining licensing requirements, we can help healthcare professionals dedicate more time to delivering high-quality care and less time navigating unnecessary red Read more
Medical debt is an issue that disproportionately impacts rural Pennsylvanians. Efforts to reduce medical debt have been thwarted by legislators representing those communities. Read more
As an emergency physician, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of untreated mental health conditions. For far too many young people, the first time they access mental health care is in a moment of crisis – often in the ER, when their symptoms have already escalated beyond what community care could have addressed. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s bills that would enhance licensure flexibility for physician assistants related to their supervising physicians passed the Pennsylvania House unanimously today. House Bills 2294 and 2295 would amend the physician licensure acts in Pennsylvania and allow physician assistants to work with either classification of physician, a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, without having to align with the physician’s license type. Current law requires that physician assistants and supervising physicians must be licensed by the same state medicine board. “Medical professionals want to help as many patients as possible, and my commonsense bills eliminate a circumstantial barrier to performing their sworn duty,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their affirmative votes and their personal investments in the health and livelihood of patients and health professionals alike.” Both bills now move to the state Senate for consideration. Read more
House Health Committee Voting Packet - October 2nd, 2024 Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s bill that would provide greater oversight to the implementation of artificial intelligence by health insurance companies when determining the appropriateness of claims was the subject of an informational hearing today in the Pennsylvania House Insurance Committee. “The rapid growth in the use of artificial intelligence in the health industry may help improve the efficiency of processing insurance claims, but streamlining this process may deprive people of the human connection essential in doctor-patient relationships,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “My bill would not only keep that bond intact, but it would ensure that the deciding determination of claims is in the hands of qualified medical professionals and out of the hands of software programmed to make that call.” House Bill 1663 would place several requirements regarding AI that insurers must follow. They are: Disclosing to clinicians, subscribers and the public that claims evaluations use AI algorithms. Defining “algorithms used in claims review” as clinical review criteria and, therefore, ensuring they are subject to existing laws and regulations that such criteria is grounded in clinical evidence. Requiring specialized health care professionals who review claims for health insurance companies and rely on initial AI algorithms for such reviews to individually open each clinical record or clinical Read more
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