Hospital 'tax' proposed to help pay for care in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania hospitals and other medical providers often seek higher state reimbursements for treating low-income, elderly and disabled people. Now the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare has come up with a new tax idea that would make higher payments possible by placing an "assessment" on the profits of general hospitals in two counties. While the additional revenue would come only from hospitals in Allegheny and Philadelphia, the money would be spread around to Medical Assistance providers, including hospitals, in all 67 counties.