Sen. Lisa Baker visited the Farm Show in Harrisburg on Jan. 12 and issued a certificate to Greg Kowalewski, a 2016 recipient of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship Foundation Award, congratulating him on the honor. Greg is the son of John and Jody Kowalewski, of Forest City, and is a sophomore at Penn State University majoring in animal science.
Pictured (l-r) are: Hoss's CEO and Founder Willard E. (Bill) Campbell, John Kowalewski, Judy Kowalewski, Senator Baker, Greg Kowalewski, Rep. Sandy Major, and Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.
As a member of the Susquehanna County 4-H, Greg served as the vice president of the Elk Mountain Community Club and received the Youth Leadership award, in addition to the Outstanding 4-Her award. Greg has shown at the Farm Show for six years exhibiting market hogs. He is also a member of the Dairy Science Club and hopes to become a herd manager for a commercial dairy after graduating college.
Nellie Jane Dewitt BPW was chartered on November 11, 1955. The club held their 60th anniversary celebrations at the Green Gables , New Milford, Pa on November 19, 2015.
Pictured (l-r) are: Darlene Slocum-Treasurer, NJD BPW, Ruth Radicchi- Charter member, Linda Bedford- President NJD BPW , Mary Ann Warren- County Commissioner and Nancy Hurley- Susquehanna Mayor.
NJD BPW was recognized for their work with, and support of, various organizations which seek to empower women to achieve their full potential with citations from House of Representative Sandra Majors (who was unable to attend), County Commissioner Mary Ann Warren and Susquehanna Mayor Nancy Hurley.
All the guests and members enjoyed dinner and the program. A power point about Captain Nellie Jane DeWitt, whom the club is named for and the 60 years of the club, was presented by Mary Mushala. History of the National Business and Professional organizations was given by Darlene Slocum. Guests and members had fun with the triva for the year 1955.
On December 29th, Governor Tom Wolf made the decision to line-item veto supplemental funding for hospitals, including critical access hospitals. The critical access hospital supplemental funding provides increased reimbursements for 13 critical access hospitals located in rural communities. Two of the critical access hospitals are located in Susquehanna County.
Specifically, the critical access hospital supplemental funding provides these hospitals with cost reimbursement to help mitigate the financial burden on these small providers that typically provide health care to a high percentage of patients on medical assistance.
Barnes-Kasson Hospital located in Susquehanna is one of the critical access hospitals that have had its supplemental funding completely removed by the Governor’s veto.
In fiscal year 2015, Barnes-Kasson’s care provided to medical assistance patients resulted in a $1.2 million dollar short fall, which is the difference between what it costs to provide quality care for the medical assistance patients of BK verses what the State of Pennsylvania pays for that care.
The critical access hospital supplemental payment that has been stripped by the Governor’s line-item veto would have reimbursed Barnes-Kasson $892,097 of that loss, which greatly helps Barnes-Kasson continue to provide care, not only for its medical assistance patients, but the entire community. Other supplemental payments provided by the state also supply additional monies to fill the financial gap of providing care in our rural community.
This straight funding cut has created a large financial gap in Barnes-Kasson’s operational funding. Our rural critical access hospitals depend on this funding to provide quality health care to our communities, especially our most in need – the elderly, low income, and uninsured.
Please reach out and contact your state political representatives with the message that rural health matters! Restore the Critical Access Hospital supplemental payments in the 2015-2016 state budget. Our community hospital depends on it.
Governor Tom Wolf – Scranton Regional Office (570) 614-2090.
Senator Lisa Baker – (717) 787-7428.
Hon. Sandra Major – (717) 783-2910.
