Kosierowski push health care expansion

Democrat Bridget Malloy Kosierowski said Monday she will make expanding health insurance a top priority if she's elected 114th state House District representative in the March 12 special election. Kosierowski, 46, a registered nurse from Waverly Twp., said she would work to preserve the state's children's health insurance program and protections against charging people higher insurance premiums for pre-existing conditions. She would also work to keep down prescription drug costs and expand Medicaid access, she said. In a meeting with the Times-Tribune editorial board, she said she has no specific plans for how to shape state policy to accomplish these goals. "I guess when I do get to the legislature, I do get to Harrisburg, that's going to be a big puzzle for me to try to find out how I could help the people access insurance that's affordable," Kosierowski said. She favors requiring health-care providers to accept any form of health insurance. "I think it's alienated long-term patients (of doctors)," Kosierowski said. Kosierowski said she hopes to take steps to reduce school property taxes through a combination of closing a loophole that allows multi-state companies shift revenues in Pennsylvania to states with lower incomes taxes, imposing a natural gas extraction tax and focusing tax cuts on people's primary homes.