Governor Rendell Calls on Senate to Return to Harrisburg, Work with House to Address Critical, Unresolved Health C...( Action needed on coverage for gro...),Health

Action needed on coverage for growing number of uninsured, continuation of malpractice abatement for doctors and Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today called on Senate leadership to bring their members back to Harrisburg for the remainder of the legislative session to work exclusively on unfinished health care issues affecting hundreds of thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians, physicians and hospitals.

The Governor was joined at today's news conference by House Majority Leader William DeWeese, who said his chamber stands ready to work with the Senate to schedule the days necessary to tackle health care issues. Health care, according to Tuesday's exit polls, ranks along with economic issues as those most important to Pennsylvanians.

Governor Rendell asked the Senate to return in regular session because all of the necessary health care legislation is ready to be considered. Also, he said, there is not enough time remaining in this legislative session to meet the requirements of calling for a special session to accomplish health care reforms. House leaders have expressed their willingness to focus exclusively on health care should the Senate return.

"A study released just one month ago by the Economic Policy Institute shows that since last year's report, another 50,000 Pennsylvania residents lost their employer-sponsored health care benefits," Governor Rendell said. "Since 2000, 561,000 Pennsylvanians have lost insurance from their employers -- a number that is second only to Michigan. This tells me that we can't wait until the New Year to bring the uninsured an option for coverage that they are begging us to provide. To wait, when we have the resources to help them now, is heartless and cruel.

"In March, the House of Representatives passed a good, responsible program -- called PA Access to Basic Care -- to cover 272,000 uninsured. ABC
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