On March 12, 2009, home care employer Lori Michael appeared before the Pennsylvania House Insurance Committee on behalf of Health Care for Health Care Workers. Michael’s agency, Lori’s Angels, provides home care to Schuylkill County’s acutely or chronically ill and disabled population.
Michael testified in favor of House Bill 746 (pdf), legislation that would expand access to health care. According to studies, a lack of health care causes recruitment and retention within the direct care industry to suffer. Consequently, in sharp contrast to its growing populations of seniors people with disabilities, Pennsylvania is facing a shortage of direct care workers. Continue reading ‘LTC Employer Voices Support for Health Reform to PA Legislators’
Cindy Ramer
Last week, Newsweek highlighted the story of Cindy Ramer, a direct-care worker from Iowa, in an article about the high number of American workers who lack health insurance.
Cindy, a long-time certified nursing asssistant (and an active member of the Iowa Caregivers Association and the HCHCW campaign), is currently uninsured after her employer canceled the company’s health insurance plan several years ago.
Instead of seeing a doctor, Cindy now goes to free screenings and health fairs in order to find care. Cindy, like a lot of uninsured American workers, is willing to pay for health coverage but is unable to find a plan that is affordable and comprehensive. Continue reading ‘Newsweek Profiles Direct Care Worker in Story on Uninsured’
White House Regional Forum on Health Reform in Iowa
On March 23rd, Des Moines, Iowa hosted the third in a series of Regional White House Forums on Health Reform taking place across the country. The Forum was led by Iowa Governor Chet Culver and Governor Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office on Health Reform, and Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. All offered brief comments and responded to questions from the approximately 500 people in attendance. Continue reading ‘DCW Issues Raised at White House Forum in Iowa’
Direct-care worker Brenda Nachtway with Rep. Todd Eachus who was presented with an award
Health activists, providers and consumers gathered in Harrisburg March 8-9 for “Getting Everyone Covered: A Conference on Health Care Reform”. Among the 200 participants were long term care employers and direct care workers who attended the workshops and plenary session that were highlighted by a variety of health reform leaders and policy makers. Continue reading ‘Long-Term Care Stakeholders Attend Health Reform Conference’
Representative Dan Frankel with Susan, a direct-care worker
Last week State Representative Dan Frankel participated in the second HCHCW Come Care With Me Day in Pennsylvania. As part of the event, Rep. Frankel visited the Essex House, a naturally occurring retirement community, in Pittsburgh, to shadow an in-home care professional and host a community forum with residents and other direct care workers to discuss long term care issues.
As the Vice Chairman of the House Insurance Committee, Rep. Frankel is all too familiar with the situation in which uninsured Pennsylvanians find themselves. “Last year, the state House of Representatives passed a bill that would have helped hundreds of thousands of working Pennsylvanians like these direct-care workers gain access to health insurance, and it would have helped to rein in the cost of health care for everyone. Unfortunately, the state Senate failed to act on that bill, but House Democrats and Governor Rendell will continue working to improve health care in Pennsylvania,” Rep. Frankel said. Continue reading ‘HCHCW Holds Second Come Care with Me Day’
Governor Granholm speaking at the forum.
On March 12, the first of five Regional White House Forums on Health Care was held in Dearborn, MI and hosted by Governors Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin.
White House Domestic Policy Director Melody Barnes was in attendance along with a mixed audience of the uninsured, deans of nursing programs, health care executives, federal and Wisconsin legislators, and fans of a single-payer system.
The issues of the uninsured and underinsured were highlighted by a clinical social worker, an RN working in home care, and the President of SEIU Healthcare MI. As a cancer survivor, the social worker spoke of her fear of “pre-existing conditions.” Constance, the RN, spoke of her inability to get health care coverage from her employer. And, SEIU President Marge Faville spoke of the thousands of people working in long-term care—Home Help providers, CNAs, and others—who deliver health care services and have no health care coverage.
Ms. Barnes assured the crowd that President Obama is committed to health care reform now, not later.
The four remaining regional forums are scheduled to take place in California, Iowa, North Carolina, and Vermont later in March and early April.
Hollis Turnham
PHI
Midwest Director
hturnham@phinational.org
President Obama
Last week, the Obama Administration announced the inclusion of $634 billion for health care coverage in the President’s budget proposal. The Administration called this amount a “down payment” towards affordable health care for all.
The Administration also put forth eight principles to guide the health reform effort:
- Aim for universality
- Maintain a choice of insurance and doctors
- Ensure affordable coverage
- Protect American’s financial health
- Invest in prevention and wellness
- Improve patient safety and quality of care
- Ensure fiscal responsible & sustainability
- Provide portability
Continue reading ‘Obama Budget Makes Downpayment on Health Care Coverage’
State Rep. Jesse White, participated in the first of a number of “Come Care With Me” events sponsored by the the PA Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign. White accompanied local home care worker Karen Goroncy as she visited patient Larry Smith, a 28-year-old man with cerebral palsy.
HCHCW lauched the Care With Me program for legislators and officials across the Commonwealth to highlight the working conditions of home health-care workers. On average, health aides make less than $20,000 per year and often do not have health insurance.
Tracy Lawless, PA State Campaign Coordinator, remarked on the importance of the day. “Representative White was very hands on – cooking breakfast and helping with daily chores for Larry. It is our hope that Rep. White and other participating officials will take this experience back to Harrisburg. I know Rep White will think of Karen and Larry when he confronts the significant challenge of making sure the direct-care workforce has health insurance so that workers like Karen can continue to provide quality care to her clients.”
Continue reading ‘PA Legislator Participates in First “Come Care with Me” Day’
On March 12, 2009, home care employer Lori Michael appeared before the Pennsylvania House Insurance Committee on behalf of Health Care for Health Care Workers. Michael’s agency, Lori’s Angels, provides home care to Schuylkill County’s acutely or chronically ill and disabled population.
Recent Comments