2008 Budget Hearings
Highlights and Summaries

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Department of Health - - 1 hour 55 minutes

Senator Roger Madigan (R-23) urges Dr. Calvin Johnson, Secretary of Health, not to weaken the privacy of patient treatment records.

During the budget hearing for the Department of Health, Senator Jake Corman (R-34) comments on the need to work with schools on a childhood obesity program.

Summary

Senator Madigan was among several members to question Department of  Health Secretary Dr. Calvin Johnson over proposed regulation changes that would weaken protection of personal records of individuals in drug and alcohol treatment. The Secretary said the proposed changes have not been finalized and were designed to give both treatment centers and clients access to information, while still requiring patient consent.

Senator Rafferty asked if any increase in diseases was particularly worrisome, noting a higher incidence of tuberculosis and whooping cough cases. The Secretary said there is a combination of new and emerging diseases being watched, including chronic diseases and asthma. Asked about prevention efforts, he told Senator Rafferty that the Department is working with other agencies to promote vaccinations.

On the matter of the Department's new Gambling Addiction Hotline, the Secretary told Senator Rafferty and Senator Gordner that the hotline received 80 calls from July 2007 to February 2008 and that 86 people have been trained as addiction counselors across the Commonwealth.

Senator Gordner and Senator White questioned the Secretary about Pennsylvania's pandemic influenza planning, noting that the budget to stockpile vaccines was down. Secretary Johnson said Pennsylvania has purchased enough vaccines to meet its part of the federal goal of 25 percent coverage nationwide. Noting the three-to-five-year shelf life of vaccines, Senator Gordner and Senator White encouraged the Department to rotate the medication into active use as its age limit nears and purchase fresh supplies. He told the senators that the federal contract with pharmaceutical companies makes it difficult to rotate the medication, but that the contract could be revised.

Noting that smoking prevention and cessation was the original intent of the Tobacco Settlement Fund, Senator White asked why it appeared money was cut to evaluate prevention cessation efforts. Secretary Johnson said the evaluation budget is multi-year and will go up and down, adding that reports show cigarette smoking by adults and youths is decreasing. When asked why funds were left over for mobile health care clinics and other initiatives, the Secretary said the state did not receive enough bids and has to start the process again.

Senator Browne asked why funding for drug and alcohol treatment was reduced, with the Secretary saying some activities were one-time initiatives and not due to receive ongoing funding. The Senator also noted that the Administration's change in the formula to calculate "bad debt" among not-for-profit acute care facilities was having an adverse effect.  The Secretary also assured the Senator that the Administration is not planning on forcing community treatment centers to make methadone available as part of heroin addiction treatment.

Pointing out that the purpose of budget hearings is to find ways to save money and not just spend it, Senator Vance asked if the Department would coordinate with the Department of Public Welfare in the training of assisted living facility inspectors to save money. The Secretary said it hasn't yet, but would look into it since the departments have combined the licensing function for drug and alcohol treatment and mental health structures. Senator Vance said she was concerned that funding for school district nurses remains flat while nurses are faced with more problems to handle. The Secretary agreed, noting that funding for school nurses has been flat for more than 20 years and needs to change.

Senator Waugh expressed concerns that funding for some emergency medical services programs has been reduced or cut in the 2008-09 budget. He asked if there is adequate funding for emergency medical services coordination statewide. 

Senator Corman asked the Secretary how the Administration derived the estimate that uninsured Pennsylvanians add 6.5 percent to the cost of insurance premiums. Secretary Johnson said he did not know, but would check. Senator Corman noted that since the Governor's proposed health care insurance program would not cover all of the uninsured, even if implemented, the net savings would not amount to 6.5 percent.

Senator Corman also noted that personnel costs were up in the Health Department's budget, while many other line items were reduced. He expressed concern that the trend was not uncommon throughout the budget and that state spending was going in the wrong direction, therefore resulting in service cuts.

Senator Rhoades said a non-profit primary care facility in his senatorial district had to temporarily close due to lack of funds. He stressed that the state should more clearly define "primary care" so facilities can better access support. Senator Rhoades said the need for new nurses has reached "catastrophic" levels and asked if the Health Department and Pennsylvania's colleges can address the problem.

Senator Stewart Greenleaf, 12^th District, asked what Pennsylvania was doing to assess the problem of autism. The Secretary said the state uses Tobacco Settlement funds for research, and will be awarding a $16 million to $18 million contract soon. Responding to Senator Greenleaf's question on Lyme disease, the Secretary said a task force was recently convened to address diagnosis, treatment and surveillance efforts. Senator Greenleaf said he was concerned by what appeared to be a reduction in funding for biotech research, but the Secretary said the funding usually fluctuates from year-to-year.

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Department of Corrections - - 1 hour 24 minutes

During the budget hearing for the Department of Corrections, Senator Mike Waugh (R-28) remarks on the difficult balance between being tough on crime and prison overcrowding.

Summary

The growing inmate population in State Correctional Institutions and the system's increased costs were the primary issues explored by the Senate Appropriations Committee during a budget hearing on the state Department of Corrections.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Greenleaf opened the hearing by commenting on the "tremendous explosion in (Pennsylvania's) prison population," in part due to the incarceration of less serious, non-violent offenders. He said Pennsylvania's experience is directly counter to that of New York. Pennsylvania incarcerated about 1,600 new inmates last year while New York reduced its prison population by 1,000.

Secretary of Corrections Jeffrey A. Beard said the population jumped significantly since 1980. Then, the state had 8,000 inmates in eight institutions with a budget allocation of $94 million. Today, Pennsylvania has 46,000 offenders in 27 institutions with a budget of $1.7 billion.

Senator Rafferty asked if there is sufficient funding in the proposed 2008-09 budget for inmate education and vocational training programs. Secretary Beard said the funding will have to be monitored, adding that vocational technology programs are voluntary, but the education programs are mandatory for inmates who do not possess at least a GED.

Senator Browne asked whether a 109-percent increase in federal funding provided for incarcerating illegal immigrants had a correlation to a similar increase in the number of illegal immigrants in Pennsylvania.

Noting that about 14 percent (6,000) of the 46,000 state inmates are convicted sex offenders, Senator Regola asked what treatments are available for those individuals and their recidivism rate. Senator Regola is the prime sponsor of legislation that would provide for the chemical treatment of certain sex offenders who commit their crime on a victim who is under 13 years of age.  

Senator Gordner asked about contract negotiations, departmental staffing, and the planned construction of new prisons. Senator Gordner asked if enactment of pending legislation that would ban mandatory overtime for nurses could be extended to potentially affect the Department's ability to assign overtime to corrections officers.

Senator White asked whether security measures had been upgraded at SCI Albion in the wake of a recent escape from the facility. She also inquired about housing provided for wardens at the correctional institutions.

Senator Vance asked what provisions are made for Pennsylvania's 150 "nursing home eligible" elderly inmates. Secretary Beard said inmates tend to "age faster" than the general public as a result of their lifestyles.

Senator Corman asked Secretary Beard to identify what drug crimes he considered to be non-violent. He noted that the illegal drug trade fosters violence in the community.

Senator Waugh asked how many inmates will end up spending the rest of their lives in prison and raised concerns about the increased costs, particularly for health care associated with geriatric prisoners.