Pennsylvania health agency faces June 30 deadline to stay alive

Since it's inception in 1986, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council has churned out reams of reports on health maintenance organization performance, hospital finances, and infections contracted by hospitalized patients. Every few years, however, it relies on a new state law to keep it alive and the General Assembly faces a June 30 deadline to pass legislation that will allow the council to continue. Business advocates and labor unions say the reports give them valuable information that helps guide their healthcare plans, and lawmakers generally favor the council's continued existence.