Activists Stage Rally At Philadelphia Blue Cross Offices
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Health care activists staged demonstrations in three Pennsylvania cities, including Philadelphia, today. They hope to convince Blue Cross to continue providing affordable insurance for low income people.
Members of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network rallied outside Blue Cross offices, then hand-delivered petitions from thousands of residents, asking the insurer to continue offering Adult Basic, which is a health insurance plan for the working poor, people with pre-existing conditions and others who don't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford full cost insurance.
People such as Karen Fitzer, who's had three cancer diagnoses.
"This insurance, while not comprehensive, was the difference between me standing before the cameras today and not."
Blue Cross says it's simply switching to a new plan, called "Special Care," but volunteer Bill West says that will cost 400 percent more, which means many adult basic customers couldn't afford it.
"This is a very urgent thing that we're working on. People are facing losing their health care in the next couple weeks. It's not a good situation."
Reported By Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio
