Pennsylvanians Speak Out, Urge Gov. Corbett to Have a Heart and Save adultBasic!

Submitted by pahealth on February 15, 2011 - 2:36am

This Valentine’s Day, the 42,000 folks on adultBasic had little to celebrate. The looming shut off of their insurance in just 14 days left many with heavy hearts, and with the unshakable anxiety that comes with losing a critical lifeline. But, determined not to sit back and stay silent while Gov. Corbett’s plan to end adultBasic goes ahead, over 50 of these adultBasic consumers turned out at actions across the state to call on the Governor to have a heart, and keep his campaign promise to maintain adultBasic.

They brought with them powerful messages for the Governor—

Jon in Linesville said: Dear Gov. Corbett, Have a Heart, Save Adult Basic. Just when I need it, it goes away… Now what am I going to do?? Die I guess.

Karen in Oil City said: Please save adultBasic. My husband and I both have it and desperately need to keep it. He is a cancer survivor and I have many, many health problems without this coverage I will probably die within the coming year. We can not possibly afford the Special Care offered to replace our adultBasic coverage. Please, please, please, it truly is a matter of life and death to many of us.

And Gary and Karen Carpinello from Waterford said: Dear Gov. Corbett, Our little boy is 8 yrs old we are in our 50's. Please save adultBasic so we can watch him graduate from High School. He needs his Mom and Dad. Have a Heart.

We also put out the call for those who couldn’t be there in person to send their messages to Gov. Corbett through his Facebook page and boy did folks respond! Here are a just a few messages that people posted from the heart:

From Brian Daly: Please reconsider and continue AdultBasic. Quit siding with the big-money interests and help the powerless.

From Katie Margo: As a family physician I see the positive effects of adultBasic every day. Please have a heart and save the population you have promised to serve.

From Cheryl Glensman Yarrish: Please save this program!!! I was happy I voted for you, now, I am not!

From Deborah Beckey Anderson: Have you spoken to the masses of people with no affordable health care? Have you ever walked in their shoes? Until we have more jobs that allow people to afford even basic health care in this state and country, it is heartless to cut programs like adultBasic!

From Beverly Urban Corcoran: You're getting off to a terrible start if you cut adult basic. The Blues have more than enough to support this program till 2014. Start talking to them to negotiate a deal that will save this health insurance which is so badly needed by so many people. Some will die if this is left unfunded, do you want that on your conscience for the rest of your life? Or how about you give up your health insurance that the taxpayers pay for to cover you and your family? Think about that Mr. Corbett.

From Vicki Herzing Mazzaferro: I sure hope I am healthy enough to make it to the polls next time around

From Pearl Moon: How quickly you turned your back on the Pennsylvanians who were misled thinking you were for us!! You know what can be done to save adultBasic, do the right thing as our governor and protect the health care of your working poor!!!

This fight is not over yet. We need the Governor to keep feeling the heat on this—we have now 13 days before 42,000 of our neighbors lose their insurance. The time for politics is over; the time for solutions is now.

There are viable funding options to keep adultBasic going. What is lacking is the political will by the Governor to bring all the key stakeholders to the table and negotiate a solution that works.

Thank you for all you’ve done to help us keep up the fight to save adultBasic. And a special thanks to everyone who came out today, sent us a Valentine, wrote on Tom Corbett's Facebook wall, or signed the petition to save adultBasic. Check out our press release recapping today’s events and more personal stories of folks at risk of losing their insurance, and check back for the latest news coverage!

If you haven't already, go to Tom Corbett's Facebook page and post your Valentine's Day wish for him to have a heart and save adultBasic. And don’t forget to call your legislators every day—you can look up their numbers here.

Also, we’re looking for more people of faith to join our most recent letter to the Governor on the importance of saving adultBasic. Are you faith leader or know one who is supportive? Check out this sign on letter for faith leaders.

One more thing! Don't forget to dial in for our weekly policy call tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6pm. You’re all invited! Margarida Jorge, National Field Director with Health Care for America Now and our own Project Director, Antoinette Kraus, will talk in-depth about the efforts to repeal health care reform. You'll get caught up on what's already happened and learn about bad things still to come. We’ll also talk about the most effective ways advocates can stand up for the Affordable Care Act. To RSVP for the call, remember to email Athena at aford@pahealthaccess.org.

Comments

Contact Us ASAP--We're keeping up the fight for adultBasic!

Submitted by pahealth on March 15, 2011 - 1:42am.

Everyone,

Thank you so much for sharing your stories! We've been overwhelmed with the media and grassroots response to adultBasic. We've done a ton of work to put pressure on the Governor, the legislature and the Blues to do the right thing and come up with a solution that keeps adultBasic alive, but unfortunately--as you all know--it did end on Feb. 28th.

We haven't stopped fighting for it, though. We've been continuing to keep the issue alive in the media and press key decision makers to act. There is no clear path for bringing adultBasic (or a program with similar benefits by a different name) back, but we are looking at all possible avenues and exploring all possible solutions. We know that Special Care is not a solution, and we know that the huge majority of the 42,000 folks that lost coverage will likely be forced to risk their health or their financial lives by going uninsured or paying 400% more for coverage that just doesn't cut it.

We're going to continue mobilizing around this issue and we need your help! Please contact us directly to share your stories and talk about what we're doing to push legislators in your area to get on board with a solution that brings adultBasic back. Contact Athena at 215-557-0822 ext. 107, aford@pahealthaccess.org if you're in East or Erin at 412-512-9225, egill@pahealthaccess.org if you're in the West.

Keeping up the fight,

the PHAN team

save adult basic

Submitted by pjc, sc (not verified) on February 23, 2011 - 9:53pm.

Dear Gov. Corbett, i'm not usually and outspoken person, but you need to hear our cries for help. that is what you were elected to do, correct? be for the people. my husband has had a bad kidney since birth, we haven't had any problems since his surgery 15 years ago....until now, of course. when you decide to rip our insurance out from under us. we have an amazing doctor, he has pulled many strings to get him into surgery on monday the 28th, that is great, but tell me what we do for follow up and if there are complications...guess that's not your problem right? maybe i could just have them send you the bill, cause God knows we cannot afford it. it's a shame. we have always been so careful not to abuse the insurance so it would be there if we ever needed it. we need it now!!!

AdultBasic

Submitted by Joseph Laso (not verified) on February 15, 2011 - 2:29pm.

Dear Gov. Corbett, please do not cut Adult Basic. I am ill and without taking my medications that are covered by Adult Basic program it is a matter of life and death for me.