Affordable Health Care

As I campaign door-to-door throughout the 61st Legislative District, voters are concerned about the economy, the high price of gasoline and many other important issues facing the Commonwealth, but the issue that seems to worry voters most is our health care system.
Despite the fact that our area is relatively affluent, many of our neighbors either do not have health insurance, or are afraid they might not have it in the future, or they have it, but are being priced out of the market.
Not long ago, I met a man washing his car in his driveway. He told me he was a self-employed mechanical contractor, but could not afford health insurance for him and his wife. His wife was six months pregnant and had not yet seen a doctor. A single mother told me that despite living in a comfortable home, she had no health insurance for her and her teen-aged son. Another woman living in a beautiful neighborhood said her health care payments were more than her mortgage.
These are just a few of the stories I have heard while campaigning, and it has only strengthened my resolve that access to affordable healthcare will be my number one priority when I am elected to the state legislature. On the other hand, my opponent, Rep. Kate Harper, opposed Gov. Rendell’s Access to Basic Care legislation that lowers health care costs for everyone.
There are over 700,000 Pennsylvanians without health insurance, yet Republicans have stymied Gov. Rendell’s health care plan. Massachusetts worked in a bipartisan manner to pass a universal health care plan and it has been far more successful than any projections. We must pass Gov. Rendell’s plan that will be a good first step to insuring all Pennsylvanians. Health care must be accessible and affordable for everyone in Pennsylvania.