The officers and members of the Greencastle Antrim Democratic Club wish one and all a very happy new year with hope for peace, good health and happiness.
The past year has been full of ups and downs. We will never forget the joy of the new year and the inauguration of our President Barack Obama. Who could have anticipated the stone wall of opposition that would greet him as he advanced his program? The opposition has rallied people with an anti-government rhetoric fueled by discontent and fear of change. The health care town meetings were a stunning display of that anger. We will have to overcome these impulses if we want to maintain our Democratic majority in the House and Senate. Let's hope our representatives vote with courage. That will assure their reelection far more than timid concessions to the right.
It's been a rocky road but we did pass a stimulus package, extended unemployment insurance, improved minimum wage, have health reform in the works, will pass reforms of the banking and financial system, placed Justice Sotomayor on the Supreme Court. These are not small gains. However, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan remain stumbling blocks to peace and prosperity. A full recovery with jobs for all who want them is far off. Let's hope our President and Congressional Leaders can rally supporters and stand up for the principles that elected them.
We hope you will attend Democratic Party events in 2010 as we prepare for the Congressional elections. Bring your ideas, your energy and your friends.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Senate Committee Finally Holds Hearing on Single Payer
There was a major breakthrough in the Pennsylvania legislature on December 16. The Senate Banking and Insurance committee, chaired by Republican Senator Don White, held a hearing on Senate bill 400 which provides for a Statewide comprehensive health care system. In light of the weak showing by Congress on health reform, it was a breath of fresh air.
Supporters of the measure, whose primary sponsor is Sen. Jim Ferlo testified first. Ferlo explained the need to look at different approaches rather than be tied to the usual failed insurance model. Among other attributes, he said that the state Single Payer plan would free employers from the onerous burden of skyrocketing health insurance costs by, instead, providing healthcare for everyone at far less cost.
Chuck Pennacchio, Executive Director of Healthcare for all PA set forth the particulars of the state-level, Single Payer approach, and how it represents values we can all embrace: freedom, choice, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, modeling solutions, constitutional federalism, fair-share taxation, efficiency, transparency, accountability, jobs creation, bureaucratic streamlining, investment and reinvestment, coordinated and comprehensive care, reduced rationing, restored patient-provider relationship, healthy outcomes, tort remedy, end bankruptcy fears, health care education, "medical home" data base, and more.
Patricia Eakin, RN from Philadelphia explained that she was a nurse in one of the busiest ERs in Pennsylvania at Temple and that she sees the problems of the lack of insurance on a daily basis. She gave some examples of the problems faced by people who have lack insurance. She noted how her hospital was losing money because they had to spend limited resources on billing personnel, and had to absorb, and/or pass along, financial losses on people without insurance or on Medicaid.
Dwight Michaels, MD, a Republican family practice doctor from Gettysburg, spoke about how his experience with private insurance bureaucrats had driven him to support the Single Payer Solution. He said it is increasingly difficult to practice medicine because his five-person practice struggles daily with 20 different insurance plans, all with different rules.
David Steil, a former Republican state legislator and head of a small manufacturing business was knew all of the Senators and broke the stereotype that all Single Payer supporters are Democrats on the left. Mr. Steil spoke about how he tries to run a business, but the cost and hassle of health insurance has made his company more vulnerable in an international market where his non-American competitors have far cheaper health costs.
Those opposed included the head of the Blues, the head of the PA Medical Society, a spokesman for the National Federation of Independent businesses, the Insurance Federation, the Pennsylvania Hospital Association. Their arguments included standard objections including fear of government monopolistic control of health care, but they frequently cited some of the same problems that the supporters of single payer raised. Ultimately the very respectful and excellent questions from the Senators spurred them to say: "we need to get together a discuss better reforms." Everyone agreed that the system was seriously broken and imperiled state finances.
The room was packed with supporters of Senate bill 400 including from our area Dan and Ruth Jordan and Jack and Kathy Hendricks. For further information check out the Health Care for All website.
Supporters of the measure, whose primary sponsor is Sen. Jim Ferlo testified first. Ferlo explained the need to look at different approaches rather than be tied to the usual failed insurance model. Among other attributes, he said that the state Single Payer plan would free employers from the onerous burden of skyrocketing health insurance costs by, instead, providing healthcare for everyone at far less cost.
Chuck Pennacchio, Executive Director of Healthcare for all PA set forth the particulars of the state-level, Single Payer approach, and how it represents values we can all embrace: freedom, choice, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, modeling solutions, constitutional federalism, fair-share taxation, efficiency, transparency, accountability, jobs creation, bureaucratic streamlining, investment and reinvestment, coordinated and comprehensive care, reduced rationing, restored patient-provider relationship, healthy outcomes, tort remedy, end bankruptcy fears, health care education, "medical home" data base, and more.
Patricia Eakin, RN from Philadelphia explained that she was a nurse in one of the busiest ERs in Pennsylvania at Temple and that she sees the problems of the lack of insurance on a daily basis. She gave some examples of the problems faced by people who have lack insurance. She noted how her hospital was losing money because they had to spend limited resources on billing personnel, and had to absorb, and/or pass along, financial losses on people without insurance or on Medicaid.
Dwight Michaels, MD, a Republican family practice doctor from Gettysburg, spoke about how his experience with private insurance bureaucrats had driven him to support the Single Payer Solution. He said it is increasingly difficult to practice medicine because his five-person practice struggles daily with 20 different insurance plans, all with different rules.
David Steil, a former Republican state legislator and head of a small manufacturing business was knew all of the Senators and broke the stereotype that all Single Payer supporters are Democrats on the left. Mr. Steil spoke about how he tries to run a business, but the cost and hassle of health insurance has made his company more vulnerable in an international market where his non-American competitors have far cheaper health costs.
Those opposed included the head of the Blues, the head of the PA Medical Society, a spokesman for the National Federation of Independent businesses, the Insurance Federation, the Pennsylvania Hospital Association. Their arguments included standard objections including fear of government monopolistic control of health care, but they frequently cited some of the same problems that the supporters of single payer raised. Ultimately the very respectful and excellent questions from the Senators spurred them to say: "we need to get together a discuss better reforms." Everyone agreed that the system was seriously broken and imperiled state finances.
The room was packed with supporters of Senate bill 400 including from our area Dan and Ruth Jordan and Jack and Kathy Hendricks. For further information check out the Health Care for All website.
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