SYRACUSE -- Congressman Dan Maffei visited the Syracuse Community Health Center to discuss the new Healthcare Reform law.
The health center treats people regardless of their ability to pay. Many of the people that go there are uninsured, including Bethany Dyer. Last year she had to go to the emergency room after a car accident. The bill she got for her care was hefty. She said, "It almost made me choke on my morning coffee. It was pretty high but at the same time I guess it could be worse."
Dr. Brian Thompson recently joined the Syracuse Community Health Center. He said, "I know for a number of my patients who do not have insurance, they're always having the same struggles and worries: I have a medical problem and I don't know where to turn or what to do."
Congressman Maffei answered questions about health care reform and he said by 2014 everyone will be required to purchase health insurance. While he believes everyone needs coverage, he would have like to see it done differently. "It's a bit of a disappointment. A lot of us wanted to see something that was truly universal for everybody but this takes that first step."
Maffei said immediate help for the uninsured is on the way in the form of additional funding for clinics like Syracuse Community Health Center.
