Every year across the state, millions of us in Pennsylvania struggle to get the care we need and to pay for treatments and medicine. We need a Public Healthcare Advocate to stand on the side of everyday people.

Everyone in Pennsylvania needs healthcare, but giant health care companies are lining their pockets by pricing us out of care. Hospitals and drug companies overbill us for essential treatment and medicine, and insurance companies have made a routine business practice out of refusing to cover our treatments and pay our insurance claims.

Every year, these companies force over 750,000 PA residents to delay or forgo medical care and send more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians a surprise medical bill. More than 1.5 million of us are now in medical debt.

We the people of Pennsylvania need a Public Healthcare Advocate to help us appeal healthcare companies’ decisions to overbill us and deny us care, and to stand on our side in Harrisburg by letting public officials know how the health insurance system is and isn’t working for people and advocating on our behalf.

A Public Healthcare Advocate is a well-proven model that would make a world of difference to everyday people. Pennsylvania already has public advocates for utilities and long-term care, and Connecticut has a highly successful Healthcare Advocate that helps thousands of residents appeal medical bills and denied insurance claims, returning more than $10 million to residents every year.

About this petition: This petition was created by Put People First! Pennsylvania, a member-led organization of everyday people in Pennsylvania fighting for our right to health care. Join us in signing this petition, and find out more at: https://www.putpeoplefirstpa.org/our-campaign/signthepetitionPHA