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Hundreds of union care workers rallied outside the state Capitol last week to blast the budget reconciliation bill passed by Congress earlier this summer and call on state lawmakers to respond.
Protesters from the Service Employees International Union Healthcare PA wore Robin Hood-style hats to illustrate the implications of the tax cuts and the changes to Medicaid in the federal legislation.
"They're like Robin Hood in reverse, they steal from the poor and working class to give to the rich. And they are taking away much more than just money," said Julia Tilley, a home care worker. "They are robbing seniors, people with disabilities and other Pennsylvanians of their health and freedom. Billionaires, big corporations and the politicians and organizations that are their puppets have too much control over our state and federal government."
The union protestors blasted U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Dauphin, for supporting the measure and criticized the state's richest man, Jeffrey Yass, for bankrolling conservative politicians and advocacy groups.
The protesters said the changes to Medicaid included in the federal legislation endanger health care access for 600,000 Pennsylvania residents, including seniors, people with disabilities, children and working people.
Health care workers are already struggling with a severe crisis of understaffing, turnover and burnout and say the cuts will make these problems much worse, according to the union. Because hospitals will be flooded with more uninsured patients, who will be sicker and require more expensive care, they will be forced to raise prices, pushing up costs for those with private insurance, according to the union.
In response to federal cuts, health care workers are calling on state lawmakers to support urgent solutions that would protect services for Pennsylvanians. A top priority is funding in the state budget that would lift wages for "participant-directed" home care workers above $15 an hour and provide paid time off for the first time ever, in order to recruit and retain caregivers to provide quality services. That funding was part of the governor's budget proposal, but has not been enacted, because of the budget impasse.