After months of promises from Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell that he would bring expanded health insurance coverage to uninsured residents, the governor’s plan died in the state Senate. Not surprisingly, the vote seemed to be a partisan matter and the lack of support from the state Senate Republicans meant the end of the Democratic governor’s bill.

The Pennsylvania health insurance program would have been expanded coverage to more than 118,000 adults living in Pennsylvania, increased funding for health clinics, and provided more insurance coverage for prescription drugs and mental health care.

The main concern that the Senate Republicans had was the cost of the new legislation, which was set to be over $2 billion within five years. This cost would have been absorbed by the state government. Republican State Senator,Domini Pileggi, said, “[I]t would be irresponsible for us to announce a new program when the state is now facing a 2-to-3 billion-dollar deficit in this year alone.”

In retaliation, Governor Rendell suggested that his Republican peers did not deliver on compromises that were made. Rendell was cited as saying, “We bent many times to reduce the number of people (covered) to meet their concerns. This was mean-spirited conduct by people who did not want to see action taken on what is the most fundamental challenge for most people.”

The governor promises to push for health insurance expansion each year through the end of his term in 2011, as reported the Associate Press and Philadelphia Inquirer.