Recorded presentation

Walter Tsou, MD, MPH¹, Lila Slovak², Tim Lachman, MD¹, and Sylvia Metzler, CRNP¹. (1) Philadelphia Area Committee to Defend Health Care, PACDHC c/o Phila PSR, 704 North 23rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, (267)-253-5074, MacMan2@aol.com, (2) Maternity Care Coalition, 2000 Hamilton Street, Suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19130

In November 2003, Philadelphia amended its city charter to declare that “because health care is an essential safeguard of human life and dignity, the City of Philadelphia Health Department shall prepare a plan for universal health care that permits everyone in the City of Philadelphia to obtain decent health care”. This ballot initiative passed with 75% of the vote. Pennsylvania, unlike many states, lacks the ability to create grassroots state ballot measures. In Philadelphia, however, City Charter changes must be approved by voters. This Charter change was organized by the Philadelphia Area Committee to Defend Health Care (PACDHC), a group of health professionals and activists working together toward a system of universal health care. In 2001, PACDHC began a petition to change the City Charter. Over the following two years they gathered more than 10,000 signatures and lobbied members of City Council and the Mayor. Their persistence led to a unanimous vote to place this Charter amendment before Philadelphia voters. Creating the ballot initiative gave PACDHC highly publicized opportunities to educate the public about the problems in the health care system, which would not have otherwise been available. It also brought together 50 endorsing organizations. The consequences of the amendment’s passage are being evaluated as the city awaits the plan from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. This session will describe Philadelphia’s evolving unique and progressive approach to health care advocacy, and will assess its effectiveness and capacity for replication across the nation.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe Philadelphia’s unique and progressive ballot initiative for universal health care.
• Assess the effectiveness of such a strategy and its capacity for replication across the nation.
• Discuss the current status of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter amendment and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s plan for universal access to health care.

Keywords: Advocacy, Universal Health Care

Related Web page: www.phillyhealth.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation