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.”
Recently, Gov. Ed Rendell proposed a budget that would increase the enrollement for adultBasic - the state sponsored health insurance program for low income adults- for four years – a measure that White supports.
“For people who are unable to get health coverage, adultBasic is the only place they have left to turn,” White said. “Unless we increase access to adultBasic, more and more people will be added to the waiting list and the situation is being made worse by the continuing economic crisis.”
According to HCHCW, Goroncy’s modest salary and lack of health insurance make it extremely difficult to stay in the profession that she loves. Making only $10.10 per hour, Goroncy has accrued more than $4,000 of medical debt from treatment for a number of chronic conditions of her own, including emergency room and family doctor visits. In addition to a painful bladder syndrome and a breathing problem, Goroncy suffers from a hernia due to the heavy lifting required of a direct care worker.
As a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington County Health Partners, White has special insight into how the current health-care system affects the lives of area residents.
”It’s an extremely broken system,” said White. “It’s a sad state of affairs when people struggle just to pay for health insurance, let alone health care.”
To participate in the Come Care with Me program, contact Tracy Lawless.
Tracy Lawless
PA Campaign Coordinator
HCHCW
Tlawless@phinational.org
I love this theme: “Come Care With Me.” It reminds me of the saying:
“Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.” Great strategy for changing hearts, minds and policy.
Dolly Fleming
Community of vermont Elders
Thanks, that is an excellent comparison to what we are trying to accomplish. You should give it a try in Vermont. It is very enlightening for the legislators.