HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania homeowners and renters who are elderly or have disabilities may get a state rebate check earlier than expected, officials announced Tuesday.

About 500,000 Pennsylvanians who benefit from the state’s property tax and rent rebate program will be receiving their checks six weeks earlier than usual, state officials announced Tuesday.

A group of state officials has an idea to expand the availability of ventilators and other equipment hospitals need to treat coronavirus patients: let more medical facilities fix the ones they have.

Pennsylvania’s two largest banks — PNC and Wells Fargo — have agreed to cash federal stimulus checks for both customers and non-customers for free.

We need our hospitals.Right now, they are all busy with other things. Emergency departments are taking care of the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. Health care workers are testing to identify those with covid-19 symptoms. Intensive care units are struggling with the task of trying to save lives — and the stress of seeing so many lost.