Twenty-six Pennsylvania state health centers must remain open, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled Thursday, reversing a lower court's decision that allowed the state to move forward with shuttering them.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has closed 16 state health centers since last year and had planned to close another 10, in addition to reassigning and furloughing nurses. The centers support disease investigations, conduct tuberculosis and sexually transmitted disease testing and screening and offer immunizations. The closures prompted a lawsuit from several state lawmakers and the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania, which represents the centers' nurses.
The state health department had argued that closing the centers would save money while maintaining needed care. The department said it could provide public health services more effectively through sites such as churches, fire halls, schools and senior centers, said Aimee Tysarczyk, press secretary for the health department. The state estimated it would save more than $5 million by closing the centers, according to that ruling.
“What we had found was that individuals often had transportation issues and could not come to the bricks-and-mortar buildings,” Tysarczyk said.
The court, however, ruled that state law clearly requires the state to continue the same health center services offered as of July 1, 1995.
“This Court may not disregard the language of the statute when it is facially clear,” according to the ruling. “While the Executive Branch contends that its proposed modernization plan is more cost-efficient and better serves the citizens of the Commonwealth, it is not for this Court to opine on that policy determination.”
The court also found that keeping the centers open “will assure that the minimum health care services mandated by the Legislature will continue to be available to the recipients of those services.”
Kevin Hefty, vice president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, cheered the court's decision.
“It's a great victory for public health in Pennsylvania and for the nurses who work in the Department of Health,” Hefty said. “It provides important services to the community.”
On Friday, the health department was still reviewing the ruling “to determine the implications to the plan moving forward,” Tysarczyk said.
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