Rendell's farewell to working/retired poor-cancel health insurance for 40,000...

[old mark]

Tom Corbett, our new GOP governor announced he will "try" to get over 40,000 Pennsylvanians covered under a special case provision to the PA backed health insurance coverage. Former "Democratic" governor Ed Rendell decided there was not enough money to continue State support for health insurance to over 40,000 PA citizens using the PA Adult Basic program, which will end at the end of February. I am on this insurance. It started at $200 per month, and is now $640 per month. The State paid the private insurer to cover older working and retired PA citizens who were not poor enough for Medicaide and not old enough for MedicareThere were many thousands more on this program, but last year we got a letter stating payments would increase by over $400 per month starting in 2 weeks time. We have not yet got any notice that we wil be discontinued- I guess they are squeezing every dime they can out of us till they tell us we are no longer insured.

Link:http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/26473690/detail.html

The new program-if and when it is started-will cost more than the Adult Basic does now.

Thanks, Ed - I always knew you had no use for the workers and poor, and you have proved it to me again.


mark

[wisteria]

1. I don't think that is true of our former governor.

He has had to face a lot of opposition on every budget he proposes because of the Republicans. If he decided there was no money in the budget for your health care it was more likely because he knew it wouldn't of been approved by the Republicans. I have always known Rendell to be fair and caring-more so than most of the Republicans who run our state. I am sorry about your insurance coverage, but sometimes with money deficits very tough and heartbreaking decisions have to be made. Unfortunately, Corbett won't come through, he is just saying he will try because he doesn't want to deal with you at all and when he doesn't come through he can continue to blame Rendell and tell you he tried. This is the man who had no sympathy for the unemployed and suggested they were taking advantage of the system.

[JPZenger]

2. Lame Duck couldn't force more out of Blue Cross and Shield

Rendell worked out a 6 year deal for the Blue Crosses and Blue Shields to subsidize this program. It expired and he couldn't get them to extend it. It is up to the new Governor to work out a resolution - Rendell can't be blamed for this one. During past budgets, Rendell worked hard to extend this program.

So far, Corbett is trying to rely upon the Federal health care reform law for a solution - which is the same law that he went to court to overturn.

[wisteria]

3. Corbett is a joke. n/t

[old mark]

4. I worked as a state employee under our previous republican governor Ridge

and for the entire Rendell administration. Rendell was by far the worse of the two as far as any type of support or respect for the workers, and he was exactly the same as mayor of Philadelphia.

I have no illusions that Corbett will be any good at all, but I am very glad to see the end of Rendell's career here in PA and I hope he will not be given a federal government job in the future.

I thikn Corbett will be far worse than a joke-He will be a disaster.

mark