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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Mike Sturla Chairman, Democratic Policy Committee | State Rep. Pat Harkins D-Erie Hearing Co-Chairman |
Democratic Policy Committee examines pending health care issues in Pa.
ERIE, March 16 – The House Democratic Policy Committee today held a public hearing at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center to look at recent challenges to health care in Pennsylvania, according to Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.
The hearing was co-led by state Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie and House Insurance Committee Democratic Chairman Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, also attended.
"With adultBasic's termination earlier this month and the House Republicans' attempts to dismantle the new federal health law piece by piece, it is getting harder for working Pennsylvania families to acquire and keep affordable health care," Sturla said. "The Policy Committee is aiming to hear from people around the state regarding how these changes, made with very little time for public comment, are affecting their communities. We're giving the public back its voice in the process."
“With working families in Erie and statewide struggling to get affordable health care and insurance, I was deeply saddened when Governor Corbett chose to end the adultBasic program,” Harkins said. “We must continue to work to ensure all citizens have access to reasonably priced health care, regardless of their income level or pre-existing conditions.”
DeLuca added, "It is very disheartening that the governor has repeatedly said there is no money for the hardworking individuals on the adultBasic program, when the week before the program ended, he announced that corporations would get a multi-million dollar tax break."
Those testifying included Kim Patterson, secretary-treasurer, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania; Erin Gill, Western Pennsylvania Education and Implementation coordinator, Pennsylvania Health Access Network; and Donna Burkhart, board director, United Methodist Advocacy in Pennsylvania.
For more information about the Policy Committee and hearing materials, visit www.pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee.
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