Inquirer Editorial: Find a better solution

Gov.-elect Tom Corbett should not stand by while thousands of Pennsylvanians are thrown off the health insurance rolls. But that's what he appears poised to do.

Granted, the incoming administration faces tough decisions to close a $4 billion budget deficit. But the looming shutdown of adultBasic - the state's $36-a-month subsidized insurance program for 41,000 working poor - would be an inauspicious debut for Corbett.

An alternative plan to offer private insurance coverage to adultBasic clients is far too costly for most, and provides for only four doctor visits a year. That's not coverage, especially for patients with chronic conditions.

A better response would be to find a way to maintain adultBasic. The program was enacted under former Gov. Tom Ridge and expanded by Gov. Rendell. It is funded with tobacco-settlement revenues and contributions from the state's four Blue Cross plans.

But a six-year funding deal with the Blues expired in December, creating the shortfall. A onetime addition of $51 million negotiated by Senate Republicans was supposed to provide coverage through June, but now the funding is set to run out in February.

Given the short notice, there's some merit to the claim by Corbett aides that Rendell dropped this problem in their laps. It didn't help that Rendell officials expanded the adultBasic rolls last spring, or that more and more tobacco-settlement funds were shifted to other health needs.

Despite that, adultBasic survived in its present form because Rendell negotiated the Blues deal. The deal locked in a share of the nonprofit insurers' revenues to meet community health needs as part of the companies' social mission. But the funding stream was never made permanent.

While there's plenty of blame to go around for the collapse of program, it's going to happen on Corbett's watch, making it incumbent on him to find a solution.

Given the budget deficit, Corbett says the state can't afford more money to keep adultBasic afloat.

But he could push the Blues to extend their contributions until 2014, when access to low-cost insurance coverage will be expanded under the federal health overhaul. The deal could also require adultBasic enrollees to pay a bit more than the monthly premiums of $36. Such a compromise would be cheaper in the long run than letting thousands more join the ranks of the uninsured.

Meanwhile, the governor-elect could dodge a black mark so early in his tenure.