HARRISBURG, PA — Governor Tom Corbett this week announced that he will accept expanded Medicaid funds to expand medical coverage for about 500,000 state residents that don’t currently have insurance, if the federal government accepts his plan.

The governor’s plan includes “aligning Medicaid benefits with private, commercial insurance and the federal standards for essential health benefits… (benefit package for children will not change, and community supports for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities will remain the same).”

The governor would also implement “a revised cost-sharing model for current adult Medicaid recipients that rewards use of preventative care to reduce emergency room use; this will be accomplished through instituting a reasonable monthly premium on a sliding scale from $0 to $25 and removing confusing co-payments.”

The plan would also require a search for work for all unemployed working-age Medicaid beneficiaries, with limited exceptions, connecting them to jobs and job training as needed through Pennsylvania’s JobGatewaySM.

Corbett’s plan requires approval of both the federal government and the state legislature before it can become law.