| Pennsylvania is on the threshold of | | | | companies after the second year, and add |
| breaking new ground because of her | | | | to this increased rates for participants |
| Single Payer Universal Health Care | | | | under PA ABC than they were paying under |
| initiative, HB 1660 and SB 300, which, | | | | Adult Basic, you can safely project that |
| if passed, will make health care | | | | poorer Pennsylvanians will be forced to |
| available to every Pennsylvanian. | | | | lose health insurance coverage. |
| Health Care For All PA is taking this | | | | People on the waiting list will |
| initiative to the next level, which I | | | | potentially be withdrawing their names. |
| will explain shortly. | | | | The Governor is not telling us the |
| Meanwhile, the press ignores these | | | | truth: that at the very least, PA ABC is |
| Bills. | | | | under funded and enrollment ends when |
| Meanwhile, the HighMark/Independent Blue | | | | the money is spent. |
| Cross (IBX) merger is building its case. | | | | Yet Rendell continues to assert that PA |
| Meanwhile, Governor Rendell plans to | | | | ABC will cover everyone. |
| pass PA ABC which will cover only | | | | Additionally, PA ABC will also reinstate |
| 200,000 Pennsylvanians, out of the 1.4 | | | | the State subsidy for malpractice |
| million who currently have no health | | | | insurance which the Governor had |
| insurance at all. | | | | withdrawn previously, in the attempt to |
| This will make a bad situation much, | | | | gain support for PA ABC. |
| much worse here in the Commonwealth. | | | | Malpractice would only be reinstated, |
| But no matter how media and corporate | | | | however, for those physicians who add |
| monopolies ignore the inevitable, we are | | | | the PA ABC patients as enrollees, with |
| heading toward Single Payer one way or | | | | payout at low Medicaid-like fees. |
| the other. | | | | Health Care 4 All PA needs to empower |
| Single Payer is publically funded while | | | | those legislatures who resist this ploy |
| the Blues are privately funded. | | | | by helping them to see that resisting |
| The insurance companies compete against | | | | this makes moral sense. |
| the for profit powers represented by | | | | (Thanks to Jerry Policoff for making |
| Aetna and United and all the rest while | | | | available the above statistics on Adult |
| Single Payer is designed for the public | | | | Basic and PA ABC. Jerry will be writing |
| good. | | | | a more comprehendsive article on this |
| One enriches shareholders and an elite | | | | very topic in the days to come). |
| few while the other is designed to | | | | Governor Rendell is on record as saying |
| provide quality, affordable health care | | | | he will sign HB 1660 if it comes across |
| for everyone here in Pennsylvania. | | | | his desk. |
| The IBX/Highmark merger has prompted | | | | Our grassroots efforts have many |
| concern among critics about competition | | | | dimensions. We see the corruption of the |
| in the insurance market and clout the | | | | insurance companies and we see the |
| new company would wield in setting | | | | politicians who pander to them. |
| reimbursement rates for hospitals and | | | | But to date, we have 43 sponsors for HB |
| doctors, an article in Pittsburgh's | | | | 1660 and SB 300 in the State House and |
| "Business Times", May 26, 2008 states. | | | | Senate. |
| The consolidation of IBX and Highmark is | | | | Our growing grassroots movement needs to |
| the largest insurance company deal ever | | | | become aggressively disciplined and |
| proposed within any state and will | | | | organized to fight the forces of |
| create a $22 billion dollar company. | | | | ignorance here in Pennsylvania. |
| Our grassroots group, Health Care 4 All | | | | So we have taken it to the next level |
| PA, supports Single Payer because it's | | | | which is: Gaining support for an |
| the best way to fulfill our mission: to | | | | economic impact study to outline exactly |
| bring quality, affordable health care to | | | | how much Universal Access to health care |
| all Pennsylvanians. | | | | will cost in the Commonwealth. |
| We've decided to protest the merger | | | | We need the economic impact study |
| because it runs counter to our mission. | | | | because our group is not a legislative |
| Governor Rendell has cut a deal with | | | | body. |
| Highmark and IBX to help them get the | | | | The study does not guarantee passage, |
| merger approved in return for their | | | | but makes the case for passage. |
| help, financial and otherwise, in | | | | Keep in mind that Rendell's PA ABC did |
| passing PA ABC. | | | | not have an economic impact study. |
| PA ABC replaces Adult Basic which | | | | Sounds like it could have used one. |
| provides health insurance to | | | | The Casino and Gaming initiatives had no |
| approximately 55,000 poor | | | | economic impact study. |
| Pennsylvanians. | | | | The bar is set higher for us. |
| Approximately 95,000 are on the waiting | | | | We've hit every standard and crossed it. |
| list and these plus 120,000 others would | | | | We will not back down. |
| in theory gain access to PA ABC. | | | | We will get the money for the economic |
| However, because there is a 4% annual | | | | impact study in the Autumn of this year. |
| increase by the health insurance | | | | |