Pennsylvania med students support state single payer

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact:
Devin Oller, 925.286.6882, devin.oller@ gmail.com
Asher Schranz, asher.schranz@ gmail.com
Lucy Marcil, lumarcil@gmail. com
Chuck Pennacchio, 215.828.5055, cpennacchio@ gmail.com+

Pennsylvania Medical Students to Endorse Single Payer Bills SB 400 and HB 1660 on Harrisburg Capitol Steps,
Monday, May 3rd, 9:45 a.m.

AMSA-PA Calls for Immediate Passage of Economic Impact Study Resolution, SR 267, to Determine Precise Cost Savings, Job Growth, and Healthcare Outcomes

Medical students from Penn State, Penn, and Temple will convene a press conference on the State Capitol steps, Monday, May 3, 2010 to rally their support behind the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act (SB 400/HB 1660), a cost-saving, job-generating, outcomes-based bill that would provide comprehensive health care for all Pennsylvanians through a single risk-pool mechanism – a publicly-funded, privately-delivered healthcare system.

Health care for all would be paid for by a fair-share 3% personal tax that replaces the current average costs of 8% for premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. Businesses would pay a fair-share tax of 10% on payroll, as compared to a current average of 22% on businesses for premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. Moreover, additional cost savings accrue with 90% streamlined administrative overhead, bulk-purchasing of prescription drugs, reduced "defensive" medicine procedures, and anticipated cuts in property taxes, auto insurance premiums, workers compensation, and more.

Aside from meeting family, business, and all citizens’ health care needs, including mental, dental, preventive and primary care, SB 400 and HB 1660 would provide two years of severance pay and job retraining for individuals who become unemployed because of changes to the system. The careful transition of some 65,000 displaced insurance workers will complement the predicted growth of 140,000 new health delivery jobs.

AMSA spokesperson and Temple medical student Devin Oller stated, “As future physicians, we recognize the need for a sustainable plan that puts the health of all Pennsylvanians first, while expanding jobs, business opportunities, and the ability for providers and patients to address medical needs on the basis of clinical evidence and evaluation.”

AMSA representative and Penn medical student Asher Schranz noted, “With the absence of meaningful cost controls and no guarantees of healthcare delivery gains in the recently enacted national health insurance bill, it is now up to the states to solve, and model for others, the only proven and uniquely American answer, the single payer solution – as embodied in Pennsylvania’ s SB 400 and HB 1660.”

Finally, AMSA representative and Penn medical student Lucy Marcil added, “We will be asking our senators and representatives, as a matter of economic and moral urgency, to pass Senate Resolution 267 in order to authorize an economic impact study on SB 400 and HB 1660. SR 267, has broad bipartisan support from 34 of our 50 state senators and is a critical first step to establishing the economic logic of this bill – a proven cure for that which ails our broken healthcare system and those who suffer economically, physically, and mentally.”