Single Payer Healthcare Plan Introduced in PA House

Support the Single Payer Health Care Plan

Introduced this Fall in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives

In November State Representative Pam DeLissio from Montgomery County, located near the City of Philadelphia introduced HB 1688, creating the Pennsylvania Health Care Plan. For several months she had worked with a team of experts from Health Care 4 All PA to improve similar legislation introduced during 3 previous sessions.

The November Plan will promote a healthier Commonwealth at a lower cost with no premiums, no deductibles, and no co-pays. It will neliminate the complexity of numerous provider networks and allow each of us to choose our health care professionals. It will also preserve the private practice of medicine and the right of people to make health care decisions in consultation with their chosen providers without the interference of an insurance plan.

Pennsylvania can establish this single payer plan because the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) allows states the option of innovating as of January 2017, as long as the state plan meets at least the same coverage standards and is more efficient and economical. The Plan is able to cover all Pennsylvanians with extremely comprehensive benefits--including prescriptions, dental, and vision--and still save the Commonwealth billions of dollars because it realizes savings from replacing today's less than efficient, often profit oriented, multiple payer system with a streamlined Pennsylvania Health Care Trust.

Instead of premiums, deductibles, and co-pays the Plan will be funded through a 10% tax on employer payrolls and a 3% personal income tax. Approximately 90 % of Pennsylvanians will gain a lot more health care for a lot less. You can find out more information, including a link to the bill, at www.healthcare4allpa.org. For this socially just and financially sustainable single payer legislation to succeed we need many citizens to contact their legislators and urge them to sign on as co-sponsors. You can find out your legislator's name and contact information at www.legis.state.pa.us.

Bob Mason is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Merton Center member, and a founding member of Health Care 4 All PA. He has been campaigning for universal health care since 2002.

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