Patients, Caregivers, Hospitals, Neighborhood Advocates, Unions Unite in Asking Gov. Patrick to Put Patients First; Use Federal Relief Funds to Restore Care at Safety-Net" Hospitals

BOSTON - On Thursday, January 29 at 4:00 p.m., a broad and rapidly growing coalition of health groups known as the Put Patients First coalition will rally hundreds of patients, caregivers, and advocates outside the Massachusetts State House. The rally is expected to be the largest demonstration on a public health policy issue since health reform legislation passed and since Governor Deval Patrick took office in November 2006.

The groups are asking Governor Patrick to restore patient services that were recently eliminated in a series of drastic funding cuts to Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance.

The advocates say the Governor should use anticipated federal relief money to restore services at the two health networks which serve a disproportionate number of uninsured and under-insured patients. The recent "safety-net" health care funding cuts by Governor Patrick exceeded the cuts called for under Chapter 58, the law governing Massachusetts health care reform, and could financially devastate care delivery and patient services at the hospitals and clinics that low-income and minority neighborhoods depend upon the most.

WHO: Hundreds of health workers, patients, community members, and advocates united in the Put Patients First coalition.

WHEN: Thursday, January 29, 2009, 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Boston Common in front of the Massachusetts State House

WHY / MORE INFORMATION: A growing number of community organizations are asking the Patrick administration to ensure anticipated federal relief funding is directed to restoring the vital services that Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance provide to low-income and minority residents.

The Put Patients First coalition has expanded rapidly in short time to unite a broad range of Massachusetts health, grassroots, and community advocacy organizations, in addition to the threatened safety-net hospitals. Other organizations who have joined include 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Health Care for All, ACORN, Neighbor to Neighbor, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, among dozens of others (see full list of coalition members below).

Based on recent reports from the House Committee on Appropriations, it is expected that an upcoming federal stimulus package could include upwards of $87 billion in aid to states intended specifically to increase, through the end of FY 2010, the share of Medicaid costs for which the federal government reimburses states, and provide other forms of relief for health care delivery. A similar approach was used in previous recessions to prevent or restore cuts to health services to meet the increasing demands at times when state revenues were declining.

Members of the Put Patients First coalition have raised concerns that the Patrick administration may divert all or part of the funds designated for Medicaid relief to other non-Medicaid purposes. The Governor was reported to have said in late December that the federal Medicaid relief could be, "displaced for other needs."
Put Patients First coalition members have pointed out that such a diversion of funds would be devastating for low-income patient services at a time when the nation is looking towards Massachusetts for leadership on health reform.

Put Patients First is a coalition of over forty-five community and health organizations advocating for protection of patient access and services at community safety-net hospitals. Members of the coalition include 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, ACORN, Aids Action Committee of Massachusetts, American Stroke Association, Artists Foundation, Boston Center for Independent Living, Boston HealthNet, Codman Square Health Center, Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU, Community Labor United, Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Ethos, Geiger Gibson Community Health Center, Greater Boston Labor Council, Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center, Harbor Health Services, Health Law Advocates, Healthcare for All, Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health, Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, Jobs With Justice, Joint Committee for Children's Health Care in Everett, MA League of Community Health Ctrs, Manet Community Health Center, Mass Association of Community Health Workers, Mass Health Council, Mass Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Communities Action Network, Massachusetts Senior Action Council, Mattapan Community Health Center, MIRA, National Association of Social Workers, Neighbor to Neighbor, Neponset Health Center, Partners Healthcare, Project Right, Public Policy Institute, Roxbury Comprehensive Community Health Center, SEIU 509, SEIU 615, Somerville/Cambridge Elder Services, South Boston Community Health Center, South End Community Health Center, Tri-City Community Action Program, Inc., and the Whittier Street Health Center.

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