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| ABC which will cover only 200,000 | | | | the Governor had withdrawn previously, in the |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