We, Here in Maine, Are Not Alone . . .

Pennsylvania State Senate Lets Health Care Plan Die The Pennsylvania Senate leadership did not allow a vote on any health care bills before leaving Harrisburg for the year, therefore precluding a vote on Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care (PA-ABC), a health care reform bill that would have provided health care and prescription drug benefits to more than 250,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians, including direct care workers. Since the House approved PA-ABC last spring, the Senate has repeatedly criticized the plan for its failure to secure a long-term funding source beyond five years. More recently, as state revenues decreased and the economy collapsed, Senators were hesitant to support a major expansion of a public program like PA-ABC. The Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign, along with other allied organizations, advocated that the possibility of having to cut funding for PA-ABC in five years should not deny thousands who need reliable health care now. Funding for PA ABC was to come from health account surpluses, smokeless tobacco taxes, and federal Medicaid spending. PA-ABC failed not because of lack of funding but because special interest groups refused to support it. By providing affordable health insurance, PA-ABC would have created a way for uninsured direct care workers to get treatment that they may have delayed and allowed them to begin a pattern of primary care and prevention. Our entire health care system would have become more efficient as a result. The Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign will continue to work on this issue until meaningful health care reform becomes a reality. We encourage all direct workers, providers, and consumers in Pennsylvania to express their disappointment to their state Senators. You can reach your Senator by going to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ and plugging in your zip code. Tracy Lawless Pennsylvania State Campaign Coordinator Health Care for Health Care Workers tlawless@phinational.org One Response from a CNA/Nursing Student I believe that all people should have the basic human right to recieve the medical care that they need. I also think that the unfortunate people who get an expensive disease like cancer shouldn't have to lose their house, and go into absolute financial ruin to recieve this care. As a future nurse and CNA, I agreed with Barack Obama's analysis that many uninsured or underinsured are forced to go to the ER at astronomical costs for ailments that could be more appropriately be adressed often at an urgent care facility for 100 or 150$. Taxpayers absorb this cost in either scenario…I would rather these people have some coverage and pay 100-200$ then the ER fees. I would be hard pressed to vote for any republican today, despite the fact that dems are not perfect either. I dont think republicans make decisions unless it lines their pocket with money these days. I could never support a candidate that will not help poor people. It is a joke that people expect someone with 2 kids earning 9 dollars an hour at mcdonalds who has to pay for childcare, rent, etc could ever get out of that situation without help. Employers like that try to keep the worker just under the hours required so that they don't have to give them insurance. I pose a question that I would like anyone that wants to, to address. I am a college student, a senior in a nursing program which is 32 hours per week minium class time plus many hours of homework required. I also work as much as I can, usually another 24-32 hours. I cannot work 40 so I cannot get healthcare. I am 28 years old. My choice then is between getting a degree so that i can improve my future or working full time so that i can go to the doctor if i get sick. This is a huge loophole that no one seems to notice. I think that someone like me who is working almost full time and doing full time school should be allowed to go to the doctor if they get sick! (I think all people should be able to go to the doctor if they get sick!) It is a FACT that a large percentage (I think up to 80%) of those uninsured are hard working middle class people! My final point is that healthcare workers work with people that are in the most frail state of health. PA is has the 3rd largest elderly population in the nation. Elderly people have weaker immune systems then younger people. Healthcare workers must be able to get treatment for their sicknesses so that they do not bring that into the nursing home or hospital where they work! It would probablly save money too for us to be able to go to a 100$ dollar office visit versus having an elderly person get sick and have to go to the hospital for thousands of dollars. At the county nursing home that I work, you may not call off sick unless you have a doctors note more then 3 times per year. Many workers just come into work sick rather then lose their job. Keep up the job PHI! While I am deeply sad that this healthcare bill failed, I believe that one day soon this legislation will pass! I got this in an email newsletter from Carol Regan at PHI. Thanks Carol! It is great to see that we DCWs here in Maine are not alone in our struggle to gain health insurance.