The state of Pennsylvania’s cost for health and human services has increased from $24.1 billion to $59.1 billion from 2006 to 2023. That is a 63% increase over the 17 years after adjusting for inflation. Health and human services have a significant role in the state’s budget, accounting for approximately 65% of the total general fund expenditures in 2023 according to a recent budget document released by the commonwealth. The state attributed the increase in costs to many variables, including the expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania in 2015, which added 900,000 more people to coverage. In 2022, the state extended Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days after the end of a pregnancy to one year. Click here to learn more.
