(Pittsburgh) February 7, 2019 “The actions announced by Attorney General Shapiro today are major steps toward ending the predatory behavior of UPMC, and I commend him for his political courage in pursuing this matter into the courts. I believe this has occurred in large part thanks to our citizens raising their voices to demand action, and I thank all those who have stepped
forward with their stories and concerns.

The stories we heard in ourfirst Town Hall Meeting and that have been submitted to our HealthCarePGH.comwebsite illustrate the stakes we face, which for many patients are nothing short of life or death. But until a final solution is secured ensuring access to the doctors we trust and hospitals we have built with our own tax dollars, we must continue to amplify our message: We will not accept the intolerable behavior of UPMC as cited by the attorney general and experienced by so many of our residents, and we will not settle for half-measures that fall short of full access to institutions built on our residents’ backs.

The attorney general’s efforts, and legislation announced by Senator Costa which would require our local healthcare giants to provide access to those covered by all insurances, are necessary responses by our state officials to the voices of our local residents. I urge all officials at the state and local levels to coordinate and prioritize efforts to make sure not one more patient loses access to care prior to a final, comprehensive solution being reached. This should include the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny County Executive exploring their own suits in order to overturn UPMC’s charitable status on similar grounds to those of the attorney general’s action.

I continue to urge all residents to share their voices by signing the petition and telling us their stories of the barriers they face to care due to this crisis at HealthCarePGH.com. Our series of Town Hall Meetings also continues to provide residents a forum for their experiences and concerns.

The UPMC-Highmark dispute has many faces and voices, and they need to continue to be seen and heard to encourage those with the ability to make change toact. These stories are what elected leaders must hear to understand the harm this has caused.”

Schedule of upcoming Town
Hall Meetings:

February 7 @ 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

CCAC South,1750 Clairton Road
West Mifflin,PA15122

February
10 @ 3:00 pm-5:00 pm

Northland Public Library,300 Cumberland Road
Pittsburgh,PA15237

February 12 @ 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Kingsley Association,6435 Frankstown Avenue
Pittsburgh,PA15206

February 18 @ 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Coraopolis Borough Building,1301 4th Avenue
Coraopolis,PA15108