A bill introduced by state Rep. Perry Warren (D-Bucks) aimed at ensuring children can access critical health services in schools has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

House Bill 1445 would prevent health insurance companies from denying coverage for medically necessary services such as speech therapy, mental and behavioral health treatment, or telehealth simply because those services are delivered in a school setting.

“Healthy children learn better and miss fewer days of school,” said Warren. “This bill helps ensure kids can get care where they are, without leaving school or skipping appointments.”

Currently, insurers may refuse coverage for services provided at schools, even if they would cover the same care at a clinic or doctor’s office.

Warren’s bill would close this gap, applying to all K-12 schools, including public, private, charter, and technical schools.

Key provisions of H.B. 1445:

   •Prohibits insurers from denying coverage based solely on the location of the service.

   •Applies to in-person and telehealth services provided by qualified, in-network professionals.

   •Ensures services must be medically necessary to qualify for coverage.

Warren highlighted the real-world challenges many families face:

   •46 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have no child or adolescent psychiatrist.

   •Schools are often the only place where students in rural or low-income communities can access reliable internet for telehealth.

In-school care reduces the need for parents to take off work or find transportation.

“This is about removing red tape, not expanding coverage,” Warren added. “If it’s covered at a doctor’s office, it should be covered at school, too.”

Warren urged the Senate to approve the measure, calling it “a step forward for children’s health and educational success.”