The Healthcare Crisis In Pennsylvania

The Healthcare Crisis In Pennsylvania Is A GoodAmericans is either uninsured or under-insured, and
Representation Of The Crisis Across America, Today.studies suggest that being under-insured is almost as
The Following Article Summerizes The Points of Aproblematical as being uninsured.
Recent Forum Held In Lancaster, PA I am a nursePeople faced with large co-pays and deductibles
who has practiced in the state of Pennsylvania for 23avoid seeking medical attention until they absolutely
years, first as a Nurse Practitioner for 17 years, nowhave to. By then it is often too late to avoid a bad
as a staff nurse at one of Lancaster's local hospitals.outcome.
Progressives 4 Pennsylvania organized a HealthcareThink about that 8-year old who died of a brain
Forum to discuss the healthcare crisis in the state, 4infection down in Baltimore recently because his
4/07. The Governor of Pennsylvania was infamily couldn't find a dentist who would do a $60
attendance.medicaid tooth extraction.
The following is what the forum revealed to the 300His mother did not have $60.
people who gathered:Think about people or who have insurance that
Over 48 million Americans are without health carebarely covers anything, like so many situations people
insurance. That doesn't even address the problemface today.
with the under-served, and those without properThe insurance companies are bound by law to
access to the system.generate returns for their stockholders, not provide
A notable problem not addressed by anyone on thecustomers (patients) with high quality health care at
Healthcare Crisis panel at Franklin And Marshall 4/4/07an affordable cost. And customers of health
is that there are over 1500 different insuranceinsurance, nevermind health care services themselves,
companies here in the US, all with different rules andhave next to no leverage to influence the way
different paperwork.insurance companies serve them.
No wonder access to care is such a problem.All of my Canadian friends love the system they
The system needs to be overhauled. Governorhave in their country. The AMA (American Medical
Rendell's plan, Prescription For Pennsylvania, allowsAssociation) pays to disseminate propaganda leading
those who have created the problem to continue toAmericans to believe otherwise.
get a paycheck, by rearranging the way everything isWe need to directly ask Canadian Citizen's to
delivered.educate Americans about their Health Care Delivery
The Ceo's of the Insurance Companies continue tosystem.
get their billions of dollars and the PharmaceuticalWe need to ask the Governor how much Pac money
Companies continue to profit from the sick andhe got from the insurance companies to fund his run
suffering.for Governor.
The Governor doesn't seem to know anything aboutThe forum was a great beginning for opening our
healthcare, anyway. That much is obvious: Likeminds to this problem. As Chuck Pennacchio
putting everyone's medical records on the internet;suggested, author of the "Family and Business
Or like putting mercurochrome on everyone's woundsHealthcare Security Act," (a single-payor Statewide,
in the emergency room; Or like letting nurses takecomprehendsive healthcare delivery system), an
over the health care system--talk about a warIndependent Impact Study is a logical next step.
between the sexes!!More than one in three