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The Pennsylvania Health Access Network is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare for all Pennsylvanians.
Health insurance premiums have more than doubled in the past 8 years and are becoming unaffordable. This places a burden on American businesses and makes it difficult for them to compete. Recession-driven lay-offs are adding to the ranks of the uninsured. Without coverage, people often delay seeking medical care, become sicker, and then require more expensive care. Across the U.S., 22,000 uninsured adults die prematurely each year because they lack access to care; 700 of those deaths are Pennsylvanians.
In Harrisburg
Federal reform will take years to implement. Meanwhile, the waiting list for adultBasic is climbing daily and now exceeds 300,000 uninsured adults. Small businesses and nonprofits face unprecedented increases in health insurance premiums. Emergency rooms are crowded with people who lack coverage and waited too long to seek care. The Pennsylvania General Assembly can and should relieve this suffering by acting now.
In Washington
During 2009, Congress has the best opportunity in decades to reform health care. Expanded coverage, cost containment, and quality improvements are on the agenda and must be addressed together. But the insurance and pharmaceutical companies are mounting fierce resistance. To push Congress across the finish line, we the people must get involved and demand comprehensive reform now, including a public plan option.
