OHIO NORTH EAST HEALTH SYSTEMS A Bush success

Two Democratic congressmen criticized Bush's health-care initiative.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- When President Bush touts his community health-care center program, he'll use a Youngstown-based nonprofit agency as an example of a success story.
Bush was to prominently feature Ohio North East Health Systems Inc. today during a discussion at the Spotlight Theatre at Youngstown State University's Bliss Hall about community health-care centers.
The president was tentatively scheduled to stop at the system's Youngstown Community Health Center on Wick Avenue for a visit today before heading to YSU.
Also, Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, the agency's chief executive officer, was to introduce Bush to the audience at the YSU event.
Dwinnells, along with Dr. Compton Girdharry, an agency doctor in Alliance, and two patients at its Youngstown facility, Cindy Sacco and Joyce Phifer, were scheduled to share the stage with Bush to discuss community health-care centers.
Scheduled to be on stage with them was Dr. Betty Duke, administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Though Democrats criticize Bush's health-care plan, particularly for veterans, Dwinnells said his agency has thrived with the Republican president in the White House.
About the agency
Dwinnells said that in 1998, the agency had 8,000 patients, a $600,000 budget and operated only the Youngstown facility. Last year, the agency had 40,000 patients, a $5 million budget including $1.7 million in federal funding, and operated three facilities.
The agency expects to see 50,000 to 60,000 patients this year, he added.
The agency provides primary care health services for uninsured and underinsured patients. Federal funding allowed the agency to open up facilities in Warren and Alliance, Dwinnells said.
"It's quite an honor to have the president point to us as a success and for him to plan on coming to see our Youngstown facility," he said.
"I'll have some private time with him, and I'm going to tell him to continue supporting these programs. It's because of his initiatives we've been able to expand. His administration has been good to us."
Duke said her agency's goal is to provide health care to uninsured and underinsured people. In 2001, 10 million uninsured and underinsured people received health care from community health-care centers, she said. That number has increased to 12.4 million now, she said. During that same time frame, the agency's budget increased from $6 billion to $7.21 billion.
The agency provides funds to community health-care centers to open satellite offices and to expand hours at facilities, she said.
Duke praised Ohio North East Health Systems as an organization that has thrived under this initiative.
Opposite view
In a Monday teleconference, U.S. Reps. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, and Sherrod Brown of Lorain, D-13th, criticized Bush for his overall health-care policy, particularly regarding veterans' health services.
"I'm offended he's coming to Northeast Ohio to tout community health-care centers when his record is so pathetic on health care," Strickland said.
Brown and Strickland acknowledged that Bush has made some strides in community health-care centers, but his administration falls far short of adequately funding those facilities.
"As is so common with this administration, what they say and what they do are disconnected," Strickland said. "He talks a pretty good game. This is one area where the administration says they want to do more. They're doing modestly more, but it's far short of what the need is. They're not doing what needs to be done."
Air Force One was to land at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, and the president was to be taken by motorcade to the health center, and then to the Spotlight Theatre. The discussion at the theater, which holds no more than 250 people, was planned for 2 p.m., by invitation only.
Most of those in attendance were to be local politicians, doctors and health-care professionals.
What's planned
Bush's schedule calls for him to fly to Washington, D.C., from the air reserve station at 3:30 p.m. Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey is invited to the White House to have dinner Wednesday with the president at a private 25-person get-together. McKelvey wants to grab a ride on Air Force One with the president to Washington.
Local Democrats and union officials said they would protest Bush's visit at Wick and Lincoln avenues, about a block away from Bliss Hall.
The national AFL-CIO launched a new television advertising campaign Monday in four Ohio cities, including Youngstown, criticizing Bush for wanting to spend billions of dollars to send someone to Mars while ignoring domestic priorities such as creating jobs, providing affordable health care and improving education.
This is the president's 17th visit to Ohio, considered a key battleground state in the November general election. This is Bush's first visit to the Mahoning Valley as president.
skolnick@vindy.com