'Hospital Perspectives on Access and Coverage' to Highlight Hospitals' Role in Serving Region's Uninsured.

WHAT:       "Health Care in Crisis: Hospital Perspectives on the
            Access and Coverage"

WHEN:       Thursday, November 18, 2004, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:      College of Physicians
            19 S. 22nd Street
            Philadelphia, PA 19106

WHO:        Andrew B. Wigglesworth, President, Delaware Valley
            Healthcare Council (DVHC)

            Albert P. Black, COO, Hospital of the University of
            Pennsylvania

            Douglas McGee, DO, President Elect, Pennsylvania Chapter
            of the American College of Emergency Physicians and
            Emergency Medicine Residency Program Directors, Albert
            Einstein Medical Center

            Michael T. Mennuti, MD, Professor & Chairman, Obstetrics &
            Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Health System

            Christine Arenson, MD, Clinical Professor, Jefferson
            Medical College

            Diane Kiddy, Director of Government Affairs, Universal
            Health Services, Inc., & Chair, Mayor's Mental
            Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board

BACKGROUND: This Forum is part of a series of public meetings designed
            to guide development of a Philadelphia Plan for Universal
            Health Care, as mandated by the voters in November 2003.
            Over the last four years, as many as 425,000 Southeastern
            Pennsylvanians were uninsured at some point in time. Part
            of the burden for the uninsured is carried by the region's
            hospitals who provided nearly $500 million in
            uncompensated care in 2003. Speakers at the Forum will
            address proposals for change, the role of hospitals in
            meeting the needs of the uninsured, and challenges facing
            providers. This event is free and co-sponsored by DVHC,
            the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the
            College of Physicians Section on Public Health and
            Preventive Medicine.