Hughes to Participate on Health Care Panel

HARRISBURG, March 25, 2009 - - State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Phila.) will appear on a panel hosted by the Arlin Adams Center for Law and Society at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Snyder County on March 26, to discuss the role of government in providing for health care reform as part of a two day conference called the 2009 Health Care Coverage Symposium.

The event will take place from 9:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Stretansky Concert Hall on the campus of Susquehanna University.

“I am very pleased and honored to be called upon to sit on this panel with such a distinguished group of scholars to discuss Pennsylvania’s efforts to provide quality health care to all citizens,” Hughes said. It is particularly fitting that this event takes place during “Cover the Uninsured Week” here in Pennsylvania.

“This is a very critical time for Pennsylvania; we are facing one of the worst financial crises in our modern history. Just as critical is providing adequate health insurance to over one million Pennsylvanians. The current economic crisis demands that we take immediate action.”

Senator Hughes recently introduced a resolution recognizing “Cover the Uninsured Week” in Pennsylvania. Hughes has been a leader in the fight to bring quality, affordable health care to all Pennsylvanians, sponsoring a number of bills to increase funding for Pennsylvania adultBasic.

“This dialogue about the state of health care in the Commonwealth and the government’s role in providing health care is very timely and much needed,” Hughes said. “We cannot afford inaction any longer. The uninsured need relief and they need it now.”

Joining Hughes on the panel will be Professor Sherry Glied, Department Chair, Health Policy and Management at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; Professor Mark Pauly, Professor of Health Care Management at the Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania; and Nina Taggart, M.D., Corporate Medical Director, Vice-President, Blue Cross of Northeast Pennsylvania.       

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