January 15, 2009

To See Poll Results, CLICK HERE

The Maryland Hospital Association (MHA) and the Health Care for All! organization today called on Governor Martin O’Malley and the Maryland General Assembly to maintain health care coverage for working families, especially given the difficult economic times. The two groups asked the Governor and legislators to avoid Medicaid cuts and to continue implementing the expanded health care coverage provided under the Governor’s Working Families and Small Business Health Care Coverage Act of 2007.

“As the economic downturn means more Marylanders lose their jobs and their health care coverage, Medicaid becomes an even more important safety net for working families. Cutbacks would just add to the numbers of those uninsured, leading to higher health care costs for the rest of us,” MHA President and CEO Carmela Coyle said.

“Over 25,000 people have already enrolled in the new health care coverage made possible by Governor O'Malley's Working Families and Small Business Health Care Coverage Act of 2007,” said Vincent DeMarco, President Maryland Citizen's Health Initiative. "This not only helps the uninsured, but also reduces health care costs for all of us by reducing uncompensated hospital care.”

Coyle and DeMarco made their comments at a press conference today at the Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Annapolis Outreach Center, in downtown Annapolis. Last year the Center provided free health care for nearly 5,000 uninsured and underserved residents in Anne Arundel County.

DeMarco also released the findings of a new survey, conducted by the Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies for his organization, which shows nearly two-thirds (64%) of Maryland voters oppose reduced funding for this recently enacted legislation.

"As the new polling data shows, there’s overwhelming support for keeping the new health care expansion intact, because Marylanders know that we all benefit when more people have access to quality health care," DeMarco said. DeMarco’s organization is running radio public service ads this week, featuring Governor O’Malley and Baltimore Ravens Safety Ed Reed, to encourage enrollment in Medicaid.

On July 1, 2009, Medicaid coverage will be extended to everyone up to 116 percent of the federal poverty level. When the expanded coverage act is fully implemented, over 100,000 uninsured people will have access to health care, DeMarco said. “I need this program because as the sole supporter of my family, I need health care so I can be there to take care of my children,” Angela Newman said in comments at the press conference. Newman lost her job and became eligible for health care coverage last July 1.

Also as part of this push, these organizations and others have sent letters to the Maryland Congressional delegation urging that the economic stimulus package include a substantial increase in the federal government’s share of Medicaid and that those dollars designed for Medicaid be spent on Medicaid. “This is critical in keeping the state’s commitment to the Medicaid program expansion,” Coyle explained.

Other participants in today’s press conference include Martin Doordan, president and CEO, Anne Arundel Health System; and Bishop Douglas Miles of the Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), and Hank Greenberg, AARP Maryland—both representatives of Health Care for All!.

# # #

MHA is the advocate for Maryland hospitals, health systems, and their patients before legislative and regulatory bodies. Its membership is comprised of community and teaching hospitals, health systems, specialty hospitals, veterans hospitals, and long-term care facilities. For more information, visit www.mdhhospitals.org.

The Health Care for All! Coalition is a broad-based coalition of 1,100 faith, labor, business and community groups that have been working to guarantee all Marylanders access to quality, affordable health care. To learn more, visit http://www.healthcareforall.com.