Pennsylvania House Bill HB917

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/17/25
• Refer: 3/17/25

Caption

In regulation of insurers and related persons generally, repealing provisions relating to compliance with Federal health care legislation.

Summary

HB917 amends Title 40 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by repealing Chapter 33, which currently addresses compliance with federal health care legislation. The repealed chapter contains Pennsylvania’s rules governing abortion coverage in health insurance exchange plans, including a prohibition on exchange plans covering most abortions, while requiring coverage for post-abortion complications and miscarriage-related treatment. It also allows individuals to buy optional supplemental abortion coverage separately from exchange coverage. By repealing this chapter, the bill would remove these state-specific statutory provisions from Title 40. The practical effect would be to eliminate Pennsylvania’s current codified restrictions and requirements tied to abortion coverage in exchange-based qualified health plans, leaving the state without this chapter’s explicit insurance rules on the subject. The bill takes effect immediately if enacted.

Impact

The bill would delete Chapter 33 from Title 40, thereby removing Pennsylvania’s statutory provisions that regulate abortion-related coverage in health insurance exchange plans. This would affect insurers offering qualified health plans through the state’s exchange, as well as consumers seeking coverage for abortion, miscarriage, and post-abortion complication treatment. The repeal would also remove the existing state-law framework that references federal Affordable Care Act exchange authority and Pennsylvania’s opt-out provisions.

Sentiment

There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal debate or roll-call sentiment is available. Based on the bill’s text and sponsorship, the measure appears to be a targeted repeal of existing insurance-law provisions rather than a broad policy overhaul. The absence of recorded discussion makes it difficult to assess support or opposition beyond the bill’s introduction and referral to the House Insurance Committee.

Contention

The central point of contention is likely abortion coverage in health insurance exchange plans. The existing law being repealed restricts abortion coverage while preserving coverage for miscarriage and post-abortion complications, so repeal could be viewed by supporters as removing state-imposed insurance restrictions and by opponents as eliminating protections or policy limits related to abortion funding and coverage. Because no committee testimony or votes are provided, the specific arguments of supporters and opponents are not documented in the available record.