Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s workers see more of their paychecks go toward health insurance

Published

3 weeks ago

February 15, 2026

Pennsylvania’s workers see more of their paychecks go toward health insurance

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The cost of health insurance is rising across the board, even among people who get their coverage through an employer, new data shows.

Workers in states like Pennsylvania are spending a higher percentage of their paychecks for employer-sponsored health insurance than in previous years, according to a new report published Wednesday by The Commonwealth Fund.

A Pennsylvania resident with single-person coverage paid on average more than $4,000 total in premium contributions and annual deductible costs in 2024, the data shows, which represented about 9.5% of the state’s annual median household income.

“If you just think about it, one out of every $10 that you have in your pocket today could potentially be going to health care over the course of the year,” said David Radley, senior scientist at The Commonwealth Fund’s Tracking Health System Performance initiative.

Those costs were up 27% from the prior year and an increase from where costs were several years ago in 2020, according to the report.

For families, the amount they paid in premiums and deductibles for their employer-sponsored health insurance plans was even greater, reaching more than $10,000 a year.

“At that level, for some families, [it] forces them to make tough decisions,” Radley said. “Even if they have health insurance coverage, they may be thinking twice, ‘Should I really go to the doctor if I’m not feeling well? Should I get this particular test? You know, should I fill this prescription?’”

Experts say rising insurance costs for businesses and their employees is a consequence of growing health care spending trends nationally, which involve how often people use services and how much they pay for them.

All of that, Radley said, can be driven by hospital consolidation that increases prices for medical services, ongoing health care labor shortages, inflation in the cost of supplies, high utilization of pricey medications like GLP-1 drugs and more.

“Ultimately, I think you have to tackle both price and utilization if we want to sort of rein in overall spending,” he said. “And that’s really hard to do, because we don’t want to be in a position where we limit access to things that are really beneficial for people. We don’t want to have to ration care in that way. That’s not what our system is about.”

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Pennsylvania

Fire crews try moving burning barge to shallow water in Delaware Bay

Published

27 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Fire crews try moving burning barge to shallow water in Delaware Bay

Delaware, Pennsylvania, and federal agencies have been responding to a barge fire in the Delaware Bay.

The barge, which is carrying salvage metal, is being moved to shallow water so it can be secured, allowing on-scene responders to extinguish the fire and complete salvage operations, according to a March 10 statement from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

No injuries have been reported as of 1:15 p.m.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is on scene to perform air monitoring, the statement said.

Responding agencies include the Wilmington Fire Department, Good Will, Leipsic Volunteer, Bowers and South Bowers fire companies. Also there are Delaware State Police, DNREC, New Castle County Office of Emergency Management, Kent County Department of Public Safety, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay.

The Philadelphia Fire Department was enroute.

This is a developing story. Check back with delawareonline.com for more information.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

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Pennsylvania

Shapiro wants to incentivize data centers to be better neighbors. Will that work?

Published

13 hours ago

March 10, 2026

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Shapiro wants to incentivize data centers to be better neighbors. Will that work?

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (PIAA) – March 10, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (PIAA) – March 10, 2026

The 2026 Pennsylvania high school girls basketball state playoffs begin on Tuesday, March 10, with second-round games for all divisions.

High School On SI has brackets for every division in the PIAA high school girls basketball playoffs. The state championships begin on March 19th.

Pennsylvania High School Girls Basketball 2026 Playoff Brackets, Schedule (PIAA) – March 10-11, 2026

CLASS 1A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

New Covenant Christian vs. Delaware County Christian – 03/11

Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy vs. Benton – 03/11

Our Lady of Lourdes Regional vs. Motivation – 03/11

Linville Hill vs. Southern Fulton – 03/11

Williamsburg vs. Elk County Catholic – 03/11

Farrell vs. Bishop Carroll – 03/11

Clarion-Limestone vs. Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy – 03/11

Bishop Guilfoyle vs. Aquinas Academy – 03/11

CLASS 2A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

Shalom Christian Academy vs. Southern Columbia Area – 03/10

Faith Christian vs. Mountain View – 03/10

Wyoming Seminary College Prep vs. Marian Catholic – 03/10

York Catholic vs. Berlin Brothersvalley – 03/10

Neshannock vs. Penns Manor – 03/10

Kennedy Catholic vs. Keystone – 03/10

Bishop McCort vs. Chartiers-Houston – 03/10

Winchester Thurston vs. Wilmington Area – 03/10

CLASS 3A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

Imhotep Charter vs. Holy Redeemer – 03/10

Pequea Valley vs. Schuylkill Haven – 03/10

Hughesville vs. Notre Dame-Green Pond – 03/10

Dunmore vs. Executive Education Academy – 03/10

Trinity vs. Troy – 03/10

Northwestern vs. Greensburg Central Catholic – 03/10

Shady Side Academy vs. Beaver Falls – 03/10

Central Cambria vs. Karns City – 03/10

CLASS 4A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

Susquehanna Township vs. Universal Audenried Charter School – 03/11

Scranton Prep vs. Allentown Central Catholic – 03/11

Central Columbia vs. Villa Joseph Marie – 03/11

Valley View vs. Neumann-Goretti – 03/11

Delone Catholic vs. Penn Cambria – 03/11

Slippery Rock vs. Oakland Catholic – 03/11

Belle Vernon vs. Blackhawk – 03/11

North Catholic vs. Harbor Creek – 03/11

CLASS 5A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

Lampeter-Strasburg vs. Mt. St. Joseph Academy – 03/11

Marple Newtown vs. Crestwood – 03/11

Bethlehem Catholic vs. Villa Maria Academy – 03/11

North Pocono vs. Archbishop Wood – 03/11

York Suburban vs. TBD – 03/11

Peters Township vs. Manheim Central – 03/11

South Fayette vs. Penn-Trafford – 03/11

Baldwin vs. Indiana – 03/11

CLASS 6A BRACKET (select to view bracket)

Second Round

Upper Dublin vs. Perkiomen Valley – 03/10

Hazleton vs. Parkland – 03/10

Easton vs. Red Lion – 03/10

Downingtown West vs. Archbishop Carroll – 03/10

Wilson vs. Cardinal O’Hara – 03/10

Pennsbury vs. Altoona – 03/10

Dallastown vs. Emmaus – 03/10

Canon-McMillan vs. Taylor Allderdice – 03/10

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