Evans Stands Up for Greater Philly Region: Medical Residency Slots Should Stay Here, Home to More than 7 Million Americans
Slots would stay with nonprofit group in Philly area -- could end up with for-profit hospitals if dispersed across the country
WASHINGTON (Sept. 11, 2019) – Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03) is standing up for the greater Philadelphia region, arguing that more than 550 medical residency slots should stay in the region after the closure of Hahnemann Hospital – not be scattered across the country.
Evans, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee that oversees much of the U.S. health care system, said this about a statement from two House chairmen about the issue:
"I strongly disagree with them. I understand their central argument, that the recent ruling from a bankruptcy judge might somehow allow for-profit ‘private equity' owners to sell off slots in the future, but their argument has a huge hole in it – these slots could easily end up at for-profit private-equity hospitals around the country. The slots should stay with the tri-state Philadelphia-region nonprofit hospital group that won the bid. These slots are vital for ensuring an adequate supply of well-trained doctors in our region and I will not give them up without a fight!
"The chairmen talked about Medicaid dollars in their statement – I am against sending the Medicaid dollars of more than 7 million greater Philadelphians to other parts of the country! I'm sure the chairmen would feel the same if their Massachusetts or North Jersey districts stood to lose hundreds of medical residency slots. I would remind everyone that Pennsylvania has 20 crucial electoral votes.
"The bankruptcy judge has crafted a solution that makes the best of a bad situation, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should NOT appeal the judge's ruling.
"I urge all stakeholders to read the recent op-ed by Jefferson Health CEO Dr. Stephen Klasko, ‘Hahnemann's closure is another canary in the health-care coal mine.' It outlines why these slots are so important to the greater Philadelphia region and how this situation mirrors what happened in 2003 when another for-profit owner closed the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital. There's a saying that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
"I will be consulting with members of both the House and Senate, from both parties, about keeping these slots in the greater Philadelphia region. This is too important to fall back on precedent when that just means ‘that's the way we've always done it.' I will stand up for Philadelphia and the greater Philadelphia region – for our jobs, for our health care, for our future."
Evans represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia.