The Grim Consequences of Closing Urban Hospitals

By Emily Badger for the Atlantic – In 1995, Philadelphia had 19 hospitals with obstetric units, places where local women – about half of them on Medicaid – could go for prenatal care and, ultimately, to deliver their babies. Then these hospitals started closing, not one or two as occasionally happens in the life of…

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Poverty, Addiction, and Medicaid Cuts: A Former Addict’s Call to Occupy Wall St.

By Jeff Deeney for AlterNet – An addict-turned-social worker explores the relationship between poverty and addiction, exposing how Medicaid cuts could have disastrous consequences on entire communities. This week the City of Philadelphia was awarded the dubious distinction of the nation’s “poorest large city,” with one quarter of the adult population and one third of…

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Conyers Statement on Phila. Endorsement of HR 676

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., today issued a statement expressing his appreciation for the actions of the Philadelphia City Council. On Thursday, January 29, 2009 the council voted to endorse Congressman Conyers’ single-payer universal health care bill H.R. 676, the “United States National Health Care Act.” “I am eternally grateful to the elected representatives of the…

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Philadelphia City Council Votes to Support Single-Payer Healthcare

Today, groups representing doctors, nurses, healthcare advocates and labor unions are applauding the Philadelphia City Council for passing a resolution in support of national, single payer health care (HR 676) and two state single payer bills. The resolution, sponsored by Councilman Greenlee and Councilwoman Tasco, makes Philadelphia the 28th city and 46th local government to…

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