Latest news with #WHTM
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Advocates discuss importance of Medicaid amid federal cuts at State Capitol
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Potential cuts to Medicaid are bringing people together to highlight the importance of its services. Today at the Capitol, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities shared how Medicaid has changed their lives, especially Medicaid home and community-based services. Medicaid allows people to receive long-term care services in their homes or communities rather than in institutional settings, including nursing homes. Advocates say these services are essential for quality of life, personal freedom, and family stability. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'My life will not be the same, and I would be lost and I would have to start over again,' said self-advocate Ernie Roundtree. These proposed federal cuts could result in the loss of up to 42,000 jobs, including 22,000 healthcare positions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania joins list of Age-Friendly States
(WHTM) — Governor Josh Shapiro announced Pennsylvania's designation as an Age-Friendly State on Thursday. The designation, awarded by AARP and the World Health Organization, recognizes the commonwealth's commitment to being a positive community for people to grow up and grow older, according to a press release from the Department of Aging. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now One in three Pennsylvanians is older than 60, accounting for 3.8 million people, according to the department. Pennsylvania is just 1 of 13 states with the Age-Friendly designation. 'My Administration is fighting for Pennsylvanians every day, and that includes investing in and building a Commonwealth that cares for and supports older adults,' Shapiro said. Shapiro made the announcement alongside Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich at the White Rose Senior Center in York. In 2020, York County became an Age-Friendly Community. Now, all of the state's 67 counties share the designation. 'There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to projects or plans that concern where we live, work, and play,' said Cathy Bollinger, executive director of Embracing Aging with the York County Community Foundation. 'And that is especially true for our seniors as well. By asking ourselves 'does it work for people of all ages?' we ensure that creativity and flexibility guide every decision — especially those related to housing and transportation. When we collaborate and plan this way, we create the potential to transform the quality of life for all residents — no matter their age.' Maple Donuts in York County has been sold Shapiro has made supporting older Pennsylvanians a priority of his administration. A year ago, he launched the Aging Our Way, PA program — a 10-year strategic plan to support older adults with a focus on access to public transport, caregivers, housing and reduced prescriptions and insurance, according to the program's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania pediatricians advocate against Medicaid cuts in Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)– Pediatricians from across Pennsylvania are at the state capitol today for a day of advocacy and education. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is in Harrisburg to address how proposed Medicaid cuts would impact children. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 in May, and some pediatricians in Pennsylvania believe that healthcare for children would be negatively impacted if it becomes law. According to the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Medicaid covers 35% of births in the state. Additionally, it covers dental and hearing services, provides care for children with special healthcare needs, and covers other things private insurance doesn't. The pediatricians also said Medicaid cuts would lead to poor or no access to pediatricians and a lack of children being vaccinated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor Shapiro fights for public transit in new budget
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted his plan to steer an additional $200 million to mass transit across Pennsylvania, calling it a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians. Governor Shapiro fought for public transit in the new budget during a press conference at Harrisburg's CAT Transit today. During the conference, Shapiro said he would use additional money from state sales taxes to fund mass transit. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Additional funding for mass transit passed the House three times last year, but failed in the GOP-controlled Senate. Mass transit has become a fight between mostly rural Republicans skeptical of big city public transportation and lawmakers from the city and suburbs who insist it's crucial to the economic health of the entire state. 'The Senate has made clear that they've got different ideas ideas on different funding streams and i'm open to those and they made clear that they want to do something on roads as well as mass transit and i'm open to that as well and there's no reason why we can't come together on this,' said Shapiro. The budget is due four weeks from today, June 30. When asked if he would sign a budget without his mass transit proposal, the governor responded by saying he wasn't going to get into budget hypotheticals. One of the objections among Republicans is that they see mass transit as code for more money for SEPTA in Philadelphia, a little to Pittsburgh, and almost nothing to their mass transit agencies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Changes proposed to Pennsylvania's minimum wage statutes
(WHTM) — A bill circulating in the State House proposes changes to Pennsylvania's minimum wage laws. The bill, proposed by State Rep. Christopher Rabb (D-200), aims to fundamentally improve the application of minimum wage principles to ensure they are more broadly and fairly applied. According to the memo, the bill proposes making critical updates to the definition of 'employee,' strengthening protections against wage theft, and extending eligibility for the minimum wage to classes of workers who are 'historically and unfairly excluded from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.' Rep. Rabb's memo says the bill will abolish the sub-minimum tipped wage that 'subsidizes corporations that profit from providing poverty wages to their employees at the expense of taxpaying customers.' The bill would ensure that gratuities are the sole property of the employee and that none of the wages are taken by an employer for processing fees. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The memo adds that the bill would also repeal the state preemption of municipal or county ordinances to set minimum wage standards, empowering local governments to enact minimum wage provisions that best reflect their community's needs. Further, Rep. Rabb's memo says the bill would expand eligibility for the minimum wage in our Commonwealth to people who have been historically disenfranchised and excluded from labor laws, including 'incarcerated, domestic, agricultural, neurodivergent, youth, and gig workers.' The bill has not been submitted for introduction yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
