Pictured left to right are members of Rep. Bard's Advisory Committee on Healthcare:  Barbara Harnett, RN; John Neff; Irene Peiffer; Dr  Ronald Friedman: Rep. Bard; Dr. John Wertheimer; Dr. George Green; Florence Forgeng; Burton Ritchie; and Gert Solomon.  Not pictured Dr.  Michael Okin; Dr. Bruce Lutz; and Richard Montalbano .
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February 20, 2001 

Advisory Committee Pinpoints Top Challenges in Healthcare

By Rep. Ellen M. Bard, 153^rd Legislative District  

An overview of United States healthcare at the end of the 20^th century would have shown one of the most advanced, accessible, reliable and quality healthcare systems in the world. 

However, that picture may be changing. To better assess recent trends in Pennsylvania, Rep. Bard has  established an Advisory Committee on Healthcare comprising doctors, hospital executives and healthcare professionals. 

The committee has produced a clear thesis: there are two significant challenges facing the healthcare industry that could seriously threaten quality healthcare--the crisis in medical malpractice insurance and skyrocketing costs of prescription medicine. 

Medical malpractice insurance problems are poignantly underscored by Frankford Hospital’s situation, at the end of last year, when it was forced to turn away accident victims because its trauma center surgeons did not have medical liability coverage. Prodigious jury awards in Philadelphia-area malpractice lawsuits have led to fewer insurers providing medical liability insurance. When doctors do obtain insurance, it is often at exceedingly high cost, particularly in high-risk specialties such as neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery and obstetrics.  

Patient access to care is jeopardized as doctors who face the insurance crunch retire early, move to other states or drop surgery from their practice.  Additionally, new doctors shun Pennsylvania as a place to work, causing currently practicing physicians to work longer hours and experience difficulty in scheduling patients on a timely basis.  

Dr. George Green, a practicing physician and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that the government has successfully restructured the automobile liability insurance and workmen’s compensation liability insurance markets. In both fields, the right of injured parties to sue was preserved while abuses were reformed. 

Access to prescription drugs is an equally troubling problem for many older citizens, in particular. Committee members reported anecdotes about people having to choose between purchasing prescription medicine and staying in their homes and about others who cut back on their prescribed level of medicine in order to stretch their supply. It has been well documented that some drugs are available at much lower costs in other countries. 

Both issues identified by the Advisory Committee are being examined by the General Assembly.  The state House of Representatives is working diligently to make prescription medicine more affordable for older Pennsylvanians through the expansion of existing programs.  PACENET (Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly - Needs Enhancement Tier) is the current lottery funded prescription plan for older Pennsylvanians who are ineligible for pharmaceutical benefits under medical assistance and whose income exceeds the limits for benefits through the basic PACE program. The House legislation increases the income eligibility limits for PACENET from $16,000 to $22,000 for single persons and from $19,200 to $30,000 for couples. 

The House Insurance Committee is currently holding public hearings on medical liability insurance issues and similar hearings are taking place in the state Senate. Although reforms have been attempted in the past, the Supreme Court struck down the new law.   

The issues of timely access to healthcare and access to prescription drugs are important.  Pennsylvania has been a leader in healthcare services and training, a contributor to the overall U.S. reputation for quality healthcare services.   To retain our good reputation and our leadership position, we must address these pressing problems.  Successful solutions will require the combined efforts of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, the General Assembly and the governor, as well as the trial lawyers and representatives of the judiciary. 

Members of Rep. Bard’s newly formed Advisory Committee on Healthcare include:  Florence Forgeng, Huntingdon Valley; Dr. Ron Friedman, Jenkintown; Dr. George Green, Huntingdon Valley; Barbara Hartnett, Jenkintown; Dr. Bruce Lutz, Abington; Richard Montalbano, V.P. Abington Hospital; John Neff, retired, CEO Frankford Hospital; Dr. Michael Okin, Rydal; Irene Pfeiffer, Glenside, Burton T. Ritchie, Rydal; Gert Solomon, Huntingdon Valley; Dr. John Wertheimer, Rydal.