The following is a Op-Ed submitted to the Lower Bucks Source from Pennsylvania Association Staff Nurses And Allied Professionals. Its has been slightly edited for style purposes only.
Pennsylvania is on the verge of a catastrophic healthcare and economic crisis that will negatively impact every citizen, every healthcare consumer, and every hospital. If Congress fails to act to restore enhanced premium subsidies for insurance bought through the Affordable Care Act marketplace (Pennie), care in Pennsylvania will be utterly destabilized as the cost of healthcare explodes.
Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians – including laboring mothers, trauma victims, those fighting life-threatening disease – will be unable to afford the increases and will lose access to critical, life-saving care.
Without renewal of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, health insurance premiums in Pennsylvania’s state marketplace will double for many families — average increases will be more than 100%. Rural counties will see some of the sharpest increases in the country (+$367/month in Juniata, +$336/month in Fulton, and +$303/month in Carbon). (See maps, attached)
A family of four could be forced to pay $800 to $1,400 more every month just to keep their coverage. Many won’t be able to and will lose coverage. Pennie (Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority) estimates that if enhanced premiums are not renewed, 150,000 Pennsylvanians will lose coverage.
We know what happens then: patients will delay care, skip medications, and show up in emergency rooms far sicker and with far fewer options. More patients without health insurance also means less compensation for hospitals, which are already seeing increased challenges in terms of funding. This in turn could lead to reductions in the quality of patient care, cuts in services, or even hospital closures.
As the health and well-being of every American hangs in the balance, federal lawmakers are also entertaining deep cuts and restrictions to Medicaid, threatening coverage for more than 300,000 working Pennsylvanians and putting 47 Commonwealth hospitals, most in rural and underserved communities, at risk of closure. Those hospitals serve as a lifeline for their communities. Losing them would mean longer drives in emergencies, when every second counts, fewer maternity wards, and no safety net when people need care most.
Rising premiums and lost Medicare coverage feed into the same precipitous spiral: People get sicker, hospitals get weaker, closing service lines, and communities suffer. PASNAP nurses, techs, paramedics, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals across Pennsylvania urge Congress to take these immediate steps:
- Renew Enhanced Premium Tax Credits to prevent skyrocketing insurance costs and the loss of healthcare coverage for Pennsylvanians.
- Reject Medicaid cuts and coverage restrictions that would further devastate our hospitals and patients.
Healthcare is not a privilege – it’s a lifeline. It’s a right. It’s absolutely essential for everyone.
Working families are already stretched to the breaking point. The decisions made in Washington in the next few weeks will determine whether our hospitals remain stable, whether Pennsylvania communities across the state – especially our rural communities – keep their care, and whether thousands of families can afford to see a doctor when they need it most.
We urge every member of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation – Democrat and Republican alike — to act now. Protect our patients. Protect our hospitals. Protect the people of Pennsylvania.
Because when coverage is lost and hospitals close, we all pay the price.
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), represents more than 11,000 frontline nurses and healthcare professionals across Pennsylvania. PASNAP was founded 25 years ago on the belief that patients do better when critical care staff have a voice to advocate for their patients and themselves.
A link with helpful charts and information can be found: HERE
Map 1 – Percentage Increase in Monthly Premiums by County
Map 2 – Average Monthly Dollar Increase Per Person
MEGAN OTHERSEN GORMAN
Senior Communications Specialist
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Profession
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