Costello, Smucker appear to buck Trump, back bipartisan healthcare plan

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Two local congressman — Lloyd Smucker and Ryan Costello — say a moderate, bipartisan group of House members they belong to, the Problem Solvers Caucus, have reached an agreement on a package of fixes for the Affordable Care Act, a package that could provide a framework for a true bipartisan fix for the healthcare marketplace. After the U.S. Senate rejected a series...

Chesco Congress members split on ACA repeal vote

Updated 5:10 p.m.: Adds comment from Patrick Meehan By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Chester County’s Congressional delegation split Thursday in a closely contested vote to pass the American Health Care Act — the controversial bill that would repeal some sections of the Affordable Care Act, a vote that will likely turn the 2018 Congressional Elections into a referendum on healthcare, much as was...

Congress members can’t hide from the voters

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The phone rang the other night during dinner, it was a phone “town hall” for U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan (R-7) — I happen to live in the 7th — but the timing was lousy and as a practicing journalist, I kind of feel like it is inappropriate as a journalist to participate in such events. And to be honest — Meehan and his colleagues need to put on their big boy pants...

Op/Ed: The Affordable Care Act works

By Joe Sestak Joe Sestak I’m reminded that it was five years ago last month that Congress voted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, promising to control costs and offer better coverage to more Americans. Back then, many argued that the ACA would be a massive failure with disastrous consequences for our state and bankrupt our nation. They claimed that the law was too expensive,...

Another tough week for Corbett

Will GOP turnout take a big hit? And ‘Donationgate’…yawn By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times As Labor Day looms, we kick into high gear for the fall election, campaigns are gearing up with charges, counter charges — and in some races, what appears to be candidates distancing themselves from a certain Harrisburg office holder. That office holder is, of course, Gov. Tom Corbett, who...

Letter: thanks Pitts for recommending Healthcare.gov

To The Editor, Thank you, Congressman Pitts, for recommending HealthCare.gov! Our Congressman Joe Pitts has been an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and so I was wondering what he would advise a constituent who did not have health insurance. So I emailed him through his website and asked this question: ‘I do not have health insurance and I want to get it. I do not want...

Obamacare – what patients are asking

When patients ask, I answer and share them with you By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD, FAGD, Columnist, The Times As a practicing dentist I have a ringside seat to the healthcare industry.  I get asked a lot of questions about the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare – and I thought I would share some of these questions and my take on them. Since this law is so flawed should we just ditch it and start over?...

Letter: Enemies of the people

To the Editor, U.S. legislators in opposition to the President of the United States and his effort to help some 30 million Americans achieve the peace of mind to have health care available to them and their families have reached the limits of their audacity. Eighty Republican Congressmen signed a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representative demanding that he begin the process to shutdown the...