Lenders helped 4,962 Rural Families Achieve Homeownership

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced the top five guaranteed housing program lenders for 2020 in Pennsylvania. In total, 4,962 rural families and individuals achieved homeownership through the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program.

The top lenders in Pennsylvania are listed below. The amount of rural families and/or individuals they assisted is in parentheses:

1. Residential Mortgage Services (319)
2. Jersey Shore State Bank (226)
3. Cross Country Mortgage (212)
4. Union Home Mortgage (187)
5. Plaza Home Mortgage (180)

Acting State Director for Rural Development in Pennsylvania Jeremy Wilson said, “At USDA, we believe that our lending partners open the door to homeownership to rural Americans, help strengthen communities, provide stability for families, and an opportunity for them to build generational wealth.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of USDA’s Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan program. The program has helped 4.8 million people achieve the dream of homeownership.

“We could not have accomplished this without these partnerships,” Wilson said.

Today, as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) signed by President Biden, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing that it is again lowering the cost of health insurance and opening more pathways for Americans to obtain affordable and comprehensive health coverage. Starting July 1, 2021, consumers who received or are approved to receive unemployment compensation for any week beginning in 2021 may be able to find even lower cost plans and save extra money on out-of-pocket expenses through HealthCare.gov.

To take advantage of these additional savings, consumers who received or have been approved for unemployment compensation in 2021 need to visit HealthCare.gov to submit a new application or update their existing application to maximize the savings they can get for the rest of 2021. An average of three out of five eligible uninsured Americans can access $0 plans after advance payments of tax credits and an average of four out of five current HealthCare.gov consumers will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after advance payments of tax credits. CMS encourages current consumers who have received unemployment income for any week beginning in 2021 to update their application and enrollment between July 1 and August 15 to maximize the savings on their Marketplace coverage for the rest of the year.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on providing relief to millions of families who need to access health insurance coverage because they have been impacted by job losses or underemployment during the pandemic,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The Administration has made it easier than ever for Americans to enroll in an affordable, comprehensive health insurance plans through HealthCare.gov thanks to the increased financial assistance provided through the American Rescue Plan. We encourage consumers who have received unemployment compensation in 2021 to visit the Marketplace to see if they qualify to save money on their health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs.”

“We are doing everything we can to remove financial barriers to comprehensive health care,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “The American Rescue Plan provides consumers with additional savings and will make coverage even more attainable for those most in need. We welcome people who received unemployment benefits in 2021 to check out their health coverage options on HealthCare.gov on July 1.”

To read the HHS press release, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/06/29/american-rescue-plan-lowers-health-insurance-costs-americans-who-may-have-lost-their-job.html.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today proposed a series of provisions to follow through on President Biden’s commitment to build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), expand health coverage access and advance health equity. These provisions are the third installment of the payment notice for 2022.

The proposed rule includes a variety of provisions to protect and expand Americans’ access to high-quality, affordable health insurance. This includes proposals to lengthen the annual open enrollment period for 2022 by an additional 30 days, create a new special enrollment period opportunity for certain low-income consumers, and expand the duties of Federally-facilitated Exchange Navigators to offer additional help to consumers enrolling in plans. These actions demonstrate a strong commitment by the Biden-Harris Administration to extend health insurance coverage to more Americans and make it easier and more affordable to get covered.

For more information on the proposed rule review the fact sheet and press release.

To review the proposed rule in its entirety, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-13993/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-updating-payment-parameters-section-1332-waiver.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is encouraging schools, child care centers and summer meal sites to participate in the Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month Program and other programs that connect farms with schools to get more fresh, locally grown food on students’ plates. Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month is coordinated by Project PA, a collaboration between PDE and Penn State University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. A Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month calendar identifies a Pennsylvania-grown agricultural product each month. To facilitate connections between schools and farms, links to resources to find PA farms and growers are provided along with recipes that incorporate the designated item of the month.