LCH Recognized for community health quality

Left to Right- Medical Assistant: Monse Balbuena, Medical Director: Joseph Greco, Patient Advocate: Nefta Erroa, Registered Nurse: Maria Ortiz, CEO: Ronan Gannon, Director of Development: Kate Wickersham, Member Relations Specialist: Luz Gonzalez. KENNETT SQUARE — LCH Health and Community Services received 4 Community Health Quality Recognition awards and was once again recognized as a Patient-Centered...

Angry that your hospital is closing? Blame health insurers

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa There is widespread anger and frustration over this week’s announcement that Tower Health would close Jennersville and Brandywine hospitals — without doubt, that anger is completely deserved. While Tower Health deserves a healthy amount of the blame — the company’s mismanagement and clear dishonesty with local elected officials trying to save...

No sale: hospital deal collapses, Jennersville and Brandywine hospitals to close

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa A sale that would have saved Brandywine and Jennersville hospitals collapsed this week — leading the current owner, Tower Health, to announce that both facilities will close within the next few weeks — meaning the loss of some 800 jobs and virtually critical care access for residents in southwest and northwest Chester County. Last month, it appeared...

State announces ‘Pennie’ — a new, state-based health insurance marketplace

Today, Pennsylvania announced, Pennie™, the new state-based health insurance marketplace for 2021 coverage. Pennie is available to all Pennsylvanians and aims to improve the accessibility and affordability of individual market health coverage. It is also the only place that connects Pennsylvanians to financial assistance to reduce the cost of coverage and care. Pennie was created by Act...

La Comunidad moves forward with Oxford expansion

LCH staff at the current Oxford location 303 North Third Street: Left to right Certified Family Nurse Practitioner Marthe Adler, MSN, CRNP, FNP; Bonnie Valente, Member Relations Specialist; Yaritzabell Dorsey, Medical Assistant; Maria Ortiz, Registered Nurse. La Comunidad Hispana (LCH) received approval for their conditional use agreement from the Oxford Borough Council last month.  This sets...

LCH gets COVID-19 funding

KENNETT SQUARE — Despite the closings and limitations of businesses over the past seven weeks during the pandemic, local community health center LCH (La Comunidad Hispana) has been able to offer essential health and community services at all three of its locations.  “This is a very vulnerable time for the community,” said Federico Ceppa, MD, Director of Primary Care.  “We have to be open...

The joy (not) of paying the GOP tax

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Say what you will about Donald Trump, but a lot of what either thrills or angers folks is decades in the making. Essentially, Republicans being Republicans. For me, personally, that means grabbing money from me and my family and cheerfully reassigning it to wealthy people and corporations. Until I recently did the math, though, I had no idea how bad those numbers...

LCH Women’s Health Center bring support holiday support for expecting moms

Teri Noone facilitates holiday crafts during a group visit at LCH earlier this month. WEST GROVE — The break room in LCH’s (La Comunidad Hispana) Women’s Health Center was filled with holiday music, crafts and laughter as a cohort of moms-to-be, currently in their first trimester, met for their second session, 16-18 week appointment last week.  LCH kicked off Centering Pregnancy in July...

Op from the Ed: GOP, Insurance industry causing move toward single-payer

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Do no harm. That is the first precept of modern medical care. This doesn’t mean standing there while someone is bleeding out, of course, which is the current state of American health care. I was happy to give Guy Ciarrocchi, the president of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry, his say last week about not expanding government’s role in health...

Op/Ed: Government run healthcare won’t improve care and won’t save money

By Guy Ciarrocchi, President & CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry Guy Ciarrocchi Healthcare for the overwhelming majority of Americans is very good.  However, some costs are too high and for some healthcare is not accessible. So, this is the challenge for thoughtful policy-makers.  The question is how to make good healthcare accessible to everyone.  The answer must...