Health Care Supporters to rally outside Rep. Chris Carney's Shamokin office
SHAMOKIN - The debate over health care comes to the city today as focus continues on U.S. Rep. Chris Carney's position should legislation be voted on later this week.
Local residents associated with Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) will gather at 3 p.m. outside Carney's office at Mill Road Square, 521 Franklin St., according to a press advisory from the organization. It's calling the rally "Health Care Reform - March to the Finish!"
Organizers also say they will provide copies of a Health Care for American Now report showing how reform would save Shamokin Area Community Hospital (SACH) "$1 million if enacted." Details of the report could not be obtained Monday, and a representative of PHAN was unavailable to elaborate.
Tom Harlow, CEO of Shamokin Area Community Hospital, declined comment Monday until he's provided with information from the report.
According to the PHAN release, "Congress is now in the midst of the health care reform endgame. Critical health care reform votes are likely in the House of Representatives by the end of this week."
Carney is among a handful of representatives whose
votes could sway the legislation's outcome. He voted for the House-passed Democratic health reform bill in November, saying he could not have voted yes if it lacked a ban on using federal money to pay for abortions; otherwise he said recently he remains undecided until he sees the final bill.
Contacted via e-mail,
He's in a tough political
position: if he votes for the final bill, he risks alienating Republicans who crossed over to vote for him before in a congressional district with a 5-4 Republican voter registration edge and perhaps independents as he seeks re-election later this year. Most Republicans and many independents oppose the Democrats' bill.
If he votes against it, he risks derailing reform because the House vote is expected to be close and alienating Democratic supporters who form his base.
A demonstration by about 10 people took place outside Carney's office near Scranton on Thursday.
As for PHAN, it says "health care supporters" have traveled to Washington, D.C., twice in the past few weeks to carry their message directly to Congress. "Now they are bringing the message home to Congressman Carney's Shamokin office."
The press advisory says "the status quo is unsustainable," with insurance companies "hiking premium rates by as much as 100 percent and reducing benefits at the same time, pushing more people off insurance and adding to the burden of hospitals and taxpayers. The cost of doing nothing is too high for the American people and the economy."
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