October 5, 2009
UPPER DARBY, PA — After more than two years of persistent work to better serve the area’s increasing number of uninsured and underinsured, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07), invited active community members to join him and Crozer-Keystone Health Systems to celebrate the grand opening of the ChesPenn Center for Family Health at Upper Darby. Prior to the facility’s opening, no source of affordable primary health care services existed in the township. Congressman Sestak began meeting with a group of concerned and determined constituents even before first taking office in 2007, and their dedication made the project “shovel-ready” when $1 million was allocated from the Economic Stimulus Bill.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Congressman praised the determination of local residents Jeanette MacNeille and Sheikh Siddique, the two of whom brought the issue to his attention, and lauded Crozer, which was instrumental in securing the initial $10,000 to conduct the study for the health center at his request.
“This facility offers an essential service to the community, boosts our area’s economy and represents the best of good government,” said Congressman Sestak. “I am proud to have been part of an effort that has brought together constituents concerned about local health services, with a major health organization committed to providing affordable care for families in need of assistance. With health insurance costs having risen more than 85 percent in the last eight years, while wages have increase only about 13 percent, we must strongly encourage these types of programs. In this instance, we persevered through a long process and showed how government can work with a positive grassroots effort to truly improve people’s lives with health care for predominantly low income, minority and immigrant patients.
“Furthermore, this project symbolizes the purpose of the stimulus, which is critical to our economic recovery. The facility creates quality, high-paying jobs and fosters a healthy, productive workforce.”
The Center for Family Health of Upper Darby (CFH-UD) will provide a sliding-fee program for those who are income-eligible. Services will be affordable for the target population, and be located at a visible and easily accessible site. Within the first two years, the Center will employ 11 full-time employees, and will provide comprehensive primary care to 2,250 adults and children.
The anticipated benefit/impact of CFH-UD on the Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District during the first year of operation will be to provide services to 2,065 patients in 5,156 patient visits. By the end of the second operational year, CFH-UD will have increased the number of patients in the practice to 3,375 and have provided services in 8,925 visits. By year three, the practice will have matured and it is anticipated that the number of patients in the practice panel will be at 4,000 and services will be projected to be provided in 12,000 patient visits.
Born and raised in Delaware County, former 3-star Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years and now serves as the Representative from the 7th District of Pennsylvania. He led a series of operational commands at sea, including Commander of an aircraft carrier battle group of 30 U.S. and allied ships with over 15,000 sailors and 100 aircraft that conducted operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After 9/11, Joe was the first Director of “Deep Blue,” the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit that established strategic and operations policies for the “Global War on Terrorism.” He served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. According to the office of the House Historian, Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to the U.S. Congress.
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