Health Care for Health Care Workers

This week Pennsylvania legislators will decide whether or not to increase access to affordable health care  for 250,000 Pennsylvanians - including many direct-care workers - who have no health insurance. 

We need your help today.   Senate Republicans have not yet agreed to the plan passed by the House and agreed to by the Governor.  Time is running out. If agreement is not reached by Friday, October 3rd, the clock will run out on this legislative session and this opportunity will be lost.

What can you do?  Call or email your State Senator and ask him/her to support PA-ABC - the bill that will provide affordable health insurance for thousands of Pennsylvanians.  Remind your State Senator that the funding set aside for this bill can only be used for health care – nothing else.  You can find the name and contact information for your State Senator at http://www.pasen.gov/ Just enter your zip code in the upper right-hand corner of the page. 

CALL or EMAIL your State Senator today!
Ask your Senator to support the bill to provide affordable health insurance to thousands of Pennsylvanians

Background: Pennsylvania currently has a subsidized health insurance program called adultBasic – but right now enrollment is full and there is a long waiting list.  The Pennsylvania House and Governor Rendell have proposed to increase enrollment in adultBasic to 250,000 individuals over the next five years.  The premium amount would depend on your income.  The money to fund this program will come from a combination of existing tobacco taxes, contributions by Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance companies, the $500 million surplus in an existing state health fund, and federal matching funds.  No new taxes would be involved and this funding can only be used for health care.

As someone who works in long term care and provides care for hundreds and thousands of consumers, you know how crucial it is to have accessible and affordable health care. Perhaps you or someone you know has delayed treatment for a serious medical condition because of lack of health insurance. You can make a difference. We urge you to call or email your Senator today!