HARRISBURG – Senate Bill 156, sponsored by Senator Bob Mensch (R-24), unanimously passed the Senate today (May 11).
Senate Bill 156, also known as Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD), allows individuals with disabilities to increase earnings under a new category of MAWD, called Workers with Job Success (WJS). Anything earned over the cap will bump contributions into a new category rather than just eliminating eligibility all together and covers workers from 250% of the poverty level up to 600%, or roughly $76,000. Currently, MAWD services are only available to individuals with disabilities with an income of less than 250%, or roughly $32,000 annually. This often discourages workers from working more hours, or from accepting a raise or promotion.
Workers will pay 7.5% of their income to the MAWD program to cover their healthcare, which is a 2.5% increase from the current 5%. This means, when a worker earns $75,000 annually, they will pay 100% of the average cost of the MAWD program.
“In Pennsylvania, only 35% of people with disabilities are working, with only 21% working full time,” Mensch said. “Like everyone else, these workers deserve the opportunity to realize their full potential without the fear of losing healthcare benefits.”
You can watch Senator Mensch’s remarks here.
For more information on Senator Mensch’s legislation, visit www.senatormensch.com. State updates can also be found on Senator Mensch’s Facebook at facebook.com/PASenatorBobMensch/ or Twitter @SenatorMensch.
CONTACT: Madison Scarfaro mscarfaro@pasen.gov (215) 541-2388