Philadelphia saves under single payer

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CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COULD SAVE $381,011,939 PER YEAR ON EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE COSTS UNDER LEGISLATION NOW PENDING IN HARRISBURG

Philadelphia City Councilman Bill Greenlee (At-Large) will accept a symbolic check made out to Pennsylvania taxpayers by leaders of the healthcare reform group “Healthcare4allPA” at a press conference scheduled for Thursday, February 4, at 9:00 am at City Council’s Caucus Room, Room 401, City Hall, Philadelphia.

According to surveys conducted by the statewide health advocacy group, under provisions of the bills, HR1660 and SB400, Philadelphia could reduce its current spending on health benefits to its workers by more than $381 millions per year.

The bills provide for a flat 10% payroll tax and a 3% individual income tax to cover all health related expenses, including prescriptions, dental, vision, and other – without charging additional costs to consumers.

“We are working to totally revamp the current way of paying for healthcare in Pennsylvania with our initiative,” said Healthecare4allPA chair Cindy Purvis. “One of the surest winners of our proposal will be municipal and local governments and school districts, which will see their health care expenditures shrink. In the end, taxpayers will be double winners: more resources for other vital programs and access to quality affordable healthcare everywhere in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” she added.

Councilman Greenlee was the main author of a resolution supporting the Pennsylvania bills last year. Since Philadelphia, the cities of Pittsburgh, Lancaster and Wilkes-Barre have adopted similar resolutions in support. of the bills, also known as the Family and Business Health Care Security Act.

For more information, and to read the text of the bills, as well as other pertinent information, go towww.healthcare4allpa.org.

Leticia Roa Nixon