Yet Another Bryan Lentz Update

Two Lentz related items have crossed my desk or screen this week. Bryan Lentz is the state representative for the 161st district in Delaware County.

His proposal to create a regional airport authority to reduced some of the congestion at the Philadelphia International Airport, has a new fan.

D. Herbert Lipson, chairman of the Philadelphia Magazine, wrote the September issue's "Off the Cuff" (available on www.votelentz.com) on the topic. He writes, in part:

Representative Lentz became interested in the airport's problems because his constituents were complaining about proposed changes in air routes that would take planes directly over their homes. It didn't take long for him to get caught up in the whole airport mess, and then to come up with a comprehensive proposal: Lentz wants to create an airport authority that would have control over Philadelphia International and Lehigh Valley International in Allentown and would work with -- he calls it "a memorandum of understanding" -- the airports in Harrisburg, New Castle and Atlantic City to divert much of this city's traffic to those vastly underutilized airfields.

Lipson ends with "I salute Mr. Lentz with coming up with a bold plan."

Lentz is also introducing two bills relating to health care:

The Fair Reimbursement for Health Care Providers Act (HB 685) is written in response to the high number of physicians forced to close their practices, and leave the Commonwealth, due to inadequate payment from health insurance agencies. Working in tandem with HB No. 685, The Managed Care Plan and Participating Provider Contract Act (HB 933) is designed to ensure that consumers remain the primary concern of insurers and health care providers when reaching contractual agreements. With passage of the bill, financial negotiations will be more equitable and work with regard to the best interest of the patient.

This brings to mind Josh Shapiro's bill on loan forgiveness for medical students who stay and practice in Pennsylvania for ten years. (HB 1093) It passed the house last June and was referred to the senate's education committee early in July.