WOZNIAK SPOTLIGHTS HEALTH INSURANCE CRISIS DURING “COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK” MED CENTER VISIT

            JOHNSTOWN, May 6, 2005 – State Sen. John N. Wozniak visited the Department of Emergency Medicine at Conemaugh Health System’s Memorial Medical Center on Friday, calling attention to the growing number of Pennsylvanians living without health insurance in observance of “Cover the Uninsured Week.”

“We’re in a vicious cycle, when it comes to health coverage for many working families,” said Wozniak (D-Cambria/ Clinton/ Centre/ Clearfield/ Somerset). “The soaring cost of health care is forcing business owners to cut benefits, thus raising the number of working uninsured and, in turn, raising insurance rates even higher.

“It’s time to make some changes so that Pennsylvania’s working families get the healthcare coverage they deserve,” Wozniak added. “There are people working two and three jobs who still can’t afford health insurance premiums; that is simply unacceptable.”

During his visit to the Medical Center, Wozniak toured the Emergency Department and met with Dr. Daniel R. Wehner, chair of Emergency Medicine, as well as Emergency Department staff and Scott Becker, Conemaugh Health System CEO. Wozniak was accompanied by Linda Gilroy, outreach and education specialist for the Highmark Caring Foundation. Highmark is a contractor for the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Adult Education initiatives.

According to Dr. Wehner, emergency departments are typically the first, and only, place for uninsured patients to turn when they cannot afford the cost of a routine doctor visit. Often, the uninsured delay medical care and visit the emergency room only in the advanced stages of an illness.

This trend can lead to overcrowded emergency departments and added costs for insured patients, as well as dangerous medical situations.

            “We see lots of uninsured patients who stay home hours, days, and weeks longer than they should,” Wehner said. “In some cases, they suffer consequences that we can’t reverse.

            “The cost of medical care shouldn’t be a factor in seeking treatment nowadays,” Wehner added.

Dr. Wehner also noted that the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians is calling for the state to provide at least minimal health coverage for all children aged 18 and younger.

Wozniak highlighted the importance of increasing enrollment--and decreasing the wait list--for the state’s adultBasic health insurance program.

“This week, we’re putting the spotlight on health insurance for working families, and we must keep our focus until this crisis is resolved,” Wozniak said. “We’ve got more than 96,000 people on the waiting list for the state’s adultBasic; that’s more than twice the number that are covered under the program.”

Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed a restructuring of Tobacco Settlement funds in the 2005-2006 state budget, so that an additional 2 percent of the allocation would be used to cover more workers under adultBasic.

“This move would put thousands more families on the adultBasic rolls,” Wozniak said.

Wozniak’s visit to Memorial Medical Center is one of several ongoing efforts by the Senate Democratic Policy Committee to highlight the importance of providing affordable, accessible healthcare coverage for all Pennsylvanians.

Last summer, the Policy Committee held hearings across the state to help pinpoint the causes of Pennsylvania’s health insurance crisis and come up with some long-term legislative solutions to aid working families in covering the cost of health care.

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