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Thursday, July 9, 2009
Budget Debate Comes to Philly Monday

This just dropped in our inbox:

SENATE DEMOCRATS TO DISCUSS HEALTH CARE JOB LOSS IN SOUTHEAST PA

Roundtable Discussion Planned for Monday Morning in Philly

 

HARRISBURG, July 9, 2009 – Responding to projections that proposed state budget cuts could lead to over 13,000 statewide job losses -- 8,299 in the Philadelphia region alone -- in hospitals and related health care services, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold a roundtable discussion on Monday, July 13 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the 4th Floor Philadelphia City Council Caucus Room.

 

The roundtable discussion will include numerous state senators, Philadelphia City Council members, hospital executives, physicians and local labor leaders.

 

“This discussion is aimed at determining the impact of proposed state funding cuts in Southeastern Pennsylvania and what steps might be taken to reverse the cuts or reduce the number of lay-offs or reductions in health care services,” said Sen. LeAnna Washington (D-Phila.), who serves as the committee’s deputy chairwoman.

 

“It is important to note that of the 13,000 projected hospital-related lay-offs, over 8,000 of them would occur in our region of the state. More alarmingly, hospitals in Pennsylvania may be in danger of closing. We cannot ignore the grave consequences of these budget cuts on our workers and the health care services for our citizens.”

 

In late June, The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania warned that there would be 13,000 job losses if hospitals lose the $280 million in state funding that Senate Republicans have proposed (Senate Bill 850) to help balance this year’s state budget.

 

Members of the Philadelphia Senate Legislative Delegation held a news conference in the city in May decrying the proposed state cuts to a host of area services and programs ranging from hospitals to economic development programs. On June 10, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a Capitol hearing to discuss the health care cuts with Public Welfare Secretary Estelle Richman and Carolyn Scanlan, who serves as president of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. Both projected that the cuts would be “very bleak” for rural and inner city hospitals that have higher numbers of Medicaid recipients.

 

“The most ominous fact about Senate Bill 850 is that its $1.7 billion in drastic cuts only represent about half of the cuts it would take to balance the state budget,” Washington said.

Posted by Catherine Lucey @ 3:53 PM  Permalink | 6 comments
Comments   
Posted 05:21 PM, 07/09/2009
CleanupPhilly
The state welfare cash grant program has not been cut, but the health care spending is? What is the logic in that? As for "economic development" programs, along with "community" development and "redevelopment" money, I've seen much of that wasted here in Philly. All of OHCD could go away tomorrow, and no one would notice.
Posted 05:25 PM, 07/09/2009
CleanupPhilly
PA cannot delay welfare reform provisions anymore. Having lifetime limits on welfare cash grants, and strict work requirements are preferable to cuts in health care programming. Also, why is PHA still housing for life? That is a complete waste for people who are not seniors and not disabled. Pittsburgh made their Housing Authority for seniors and the truly disabled only. Philly will have to do the same thing rather than close health care capacity.
Posted 05:26 PM, 07/09/2009
CleanupPhilly
PHA and the RDA also own an enormous amount of property that they do nothing with, and have done nothing with for decades. Now would be a good time to sell it to the highest bidder, and using that money to compensate for cuts to "development."
Posted 05:28 PM, 07/09/2009
CleanupPhilly
It's really astounding to me that people are just now realizing that cuts have to happen, and it's not a "plot" by the Republicans, it's because the money is not there.
Posted 05:57 PM, 07/09/2009
jn3
State workers aren't getting paid, but the welfare benefits still get sent out. So if you are working, you don't get money, but if you are on welfare, you still get yours. Something is wrong with society.
Posted 09:04 PM, 07/09/2009
dreinterests
what the hell are they spending all the money on if education and healthcare is the only thing they can cut?
6 comments
About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.

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Catherine Lucey
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