Hospital price transparency and 2019 PA legislative priorities

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What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, January 10, 2019:

Healthcare is expensive. That we know. Unlike most other expenses in our lives, we almost never know what a medical procedure or treatment cost. Most patients don’t ask their doctor or healthcare provider’s office how much we would pay for treatment before it’s done. That is especially true if the patient has insurance.

The fact is the prices for even the same treatments and procedures vary — sometimes greatly — from provider-to-provider.

Last year the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services enacted a rule requiring hospitals to make public their standard charges for the procedures and services that they provide.

That rule went into effect in January.

Proponents see the publication of the lists as a first step toward price transparency. However, health systems say those price lists aren’t a good way for people to shop around for services.

Appearing on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss the effect of the regulation is WITF’s Transforming Health reporter Brett Sholtis.

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Brett Sholtis

Also, Katie Meyer is WITF’s Capitol bureau chief and she joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the new legislative session and the priorities ahead for state lawmakers.

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Katie Meyer

Raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania

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What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, January 9, 2019:

It’s a new year and a renewed push is underway to increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf made this initiative a priority for his administration during his first term and as he begins a second term that is not changing.

The state minimum wage last increased in 2009 to match the federal wage of $7.25 an hour. In 2018, the Wolf administration proposed an increase to $12 an hour, which did not pass.

Proponents of Wolf’s plan say an increase will help low-wage workers keep up with the cost increase of food, rent and private transportation. Opponents say the bigger issue to address is the income and skills gap of the workers, neither of which are helped by raising the minimum wage.

An Independent Fiscal Office analysis acknowledges both sides of the debate; While more than one million workers will see higher wages, about 33,000 fewer jobs will result.

Where does Pennsylvania go from here?

Joining us on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to discuss the merits and challenges with increasing the state’s minimum wage are Dr. Mark Price, Labor Economist, Keystone Research Center and Alex Halper, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Director of Government Affairs.

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Mark Price and Alex Halper

Smart Talk Road Trip to 2019 Farm Show

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What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, January 8, 2019:

Smart Talk makes our annual visit to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show for a live broadcast Tuesday.

The Farm Show is a celebration of agriculture in Pennsylvania, but it also is a good time to catch up on the status of farming and hear stories from individual ag-related businesses and families.

However, fewer young people are pursuing careers in farming, demand for certain products and technology has resulted in job vacancies in the agriculture industry. With that in mind, the Wolf Administration has created the Commission for Agricultural Education Excellence to assist in the development of a statewide plan for agricultural education. A list of the most in-demand occupations or careers has been created. They include production agriculture, animal health and veterinary services, landscaping, food manufacturing, forestry and conservation and natural resources.

Dr. Robert Clark is the new Executive Director of the Commission and he appears on Tuesday’s Smart Talk.

Also, Tuesday is STEM Day at the Farm Show and Smart Talk explores how science, technology, engineering and math is being used in relationship to farming and agriculture.

Is there a clean solution to plastic waste?

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(2009/AP Photo/ Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Mario Aguilera, File)

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, January 7, 2019:

The images are shocking. An ocean scene of floating garbage and plastics, destroying an otherwise bucolic seascape. Images that force us to face the reality that our planet is awash in trash.

Plastics are a particularly large component of the garbage glut. Central Pennsylvania agricultural operations are big producers of plastic waste. Many area producers, and also homeowners, relied on recycling as a solution, until the market collapsed with Chinese recyclables demand and contamination at the curbside bin.

Until a solution is found, the plastic waste continues to pile up. What can be done to solve this problem?

Penn State researchers believe they have found a possible solution that, on the surface, appears to address several environmental problems.

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss a possible solution to the plastics problem are Dr. Bill Lamont, Prof. Emeritus of Vegetable Crops, Penn State, Jim Garthe, retired Penn State agricultural engineer, and Ron Davis (aka Ron the Bagman) area recycling advocate.

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Jim Garthe, Ron Davis and Bill Lamont

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Agricultural waste (Photo credit Ron “the bagman” Davis

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Tires and agricultural waste (Photo credit Ron “the bagman” Davis)

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Plastofuel burner (photo Bill Lamont)

Recreational marijuana and legislative priorities in the new year

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What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, January 3, 2019:

Governor Tom Wolf set off fireworks before the holidays with his response to a constituent’s question during a twitter Q&A. The question was “when will Pennsylvania catch up and make recreational marijuana legal?”

Wolf responded in part that because more states are successfully implementing legalization that it is time for Pennsylvania to take a serious and honest look at legalizing, too.

It did not take long for proponents and opponents to legalization to step into the discussion. Democratic state Senator Daylin Leach of Delaware County weighed in with his intent to introduce legislation in the new year.

Senator Leach appears on Smart Talk Thursday, along with Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman representing the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association, who oppose legalization.

Also, Katie Meyer is WITF’s Capitol bureau chief and she joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the new legislative session and the priorities ahead for state lawmakers.

Cybersecurity; protecting yourself online

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What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, January 2, 2019:

The 2018 holiday season set many sales records. According to industry analysts, it stacks up as the best holiday shopping season in six years with retail e-commerce exceeding 123 billion dollars.

Consumers are making more purchases online and every time they complete a transaction, they are trusting sellers to safeguard their financial information.

When in comes to online banking the stakes are high. Many Americans conduct all their banking without ever stepping foot in an actual bank.

There are plenty of bad guys out there trying to steal your money and banks spend billions of dollars annually on cybersecurity to counter the scammers, phishers and thieves.

How safe is your money and what can you do to protect your data and investments?

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss cybersecurity is Dr. Terrill L. Frantz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of eBusiness and Cybersecurity, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Andrew Linn, PA Bankers Association and Chief Information Security Officer, Orrstown Bank.

Also joining the discussion is Andrew Goode, regional VP, Better Business Bureau, Metro Washington D.C. and Eastern Pennsylvania, to talk about reporting scams and safe business practices.

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Andrew Linn and Terrill Frantz

Top Stories of 2018 on Smart Talk — clergy sex abuse

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Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro holds hands with Judy Deaven who says her son was a victim of sexual abuse by a priest as a boy, during a news conference at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, December 27, 2018:

The Top Stories of 2018 on Smart Talk continue Thursday with one that resonated throughout Pennsylvania, across the nation and even to the Vatican in Rome — the Grand Jury report on sexual misconduct in the Catholic Church.

Last August, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro released details of a Grand Jury report that found 301 priests and others affiliated with Catholic Dioceses had sexually molested, abused or assaulted more than 1,000 children over the past 70 years. Shapiro said that in addition, the Church often moved priests who had been credibly accused or generally covered up the accusations. Shapiro named names that were included in the Grand Jury report even though most had never faced criminal charges. In fact, many of those named were dead.

The Grand Jury report inspired other states to begin investigations into clergy abuse and Pope Francis had to address the issue since the report was made public.

With us on the program are Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berk County — an abuse survivor — and Pennsylvania’s Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm. We are also joined by survivor John Delaney.

The report said a priest sexually molested, abused and assaulted five sisters from one family. Four of the Fortnet sisters from Dauphin County appear on Thursday’s program.

2018 Smart Talk Road Trips

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What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, December 26, 2018:

The first of three Top Stories of 2018 on Smart Talk episodes airs Wednesday.

Smart Talk Road Trips have become some of the most anticipated programs produced all year. The show visits interesting places throughout the region and the state to discuss issues, history and other compelling topics. A live audience at the Road Trips brings more energy.

We’ll highlight three Road Trips Wednesday.

Last March, we travelled to Pittsburgh and the Senator John Heinz History Center where there was an exhibit marking the 50th anniversary of the premiere of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Fred Rogers is a Pittsburgh icon and the exhibit displayed many of the original set pieces from his pioneering children’s TV show. On Smart Talk, we spoke with Deborah Acklin, President & CEO WQED Multimedia; Paul Siefkin-President, Fred Rogers Company on the program.

In October, we made a Road Trip to Bethany Village in Mechanicsburg where we had an interesting conversation with four residents who talked about aging.

Finally, the George Spangler Farm in Gettysburg is where we discussed civility last July. The occasion was the 75th anniversary of the Eternal Peace Light at Gettysburg.

Code Girls author Liza Mundy

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Smart Talk host Scott LaMar and Code Girls author Liza Mundy at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, October 24, 2018:

Seventy-three years after World War II ended, we’re finally hearing about thousands of young American women who saved lives and helped defeat the enemy. In her latest book Code Girls – the Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II, best-selling author Liza Mundy describes the secretive duties of the women who were able to break down and interpret codes sent by the Japanese and German militaries, diplomats and governments.

Their efforts led to knowing the enemies’ plans, where their troops were located, troop strengths and supply chains.

One of the reasons the story hasn’t been told over the last seven decades is the code breakers were sworn to secrecy — even from spouses, family and friends. Many of them were reluctant to break their silence even now.

Liza Mundy recently appeared at Midtown Scholar Bookstore for their Harrisburg Bookfest. Smart Talk host Scott LaMar interviewed her about the book and a recording of that conversation is on Wednesday’s Smart Talk.

An epidemic killing coal miners / ER’s and mental illness treatment

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“There’s a lot of memories here, some good, some bad,” says Smith, while reflecting on his years working at the now defunct Solid Energy mine in Pike County. (photo: Rich-Joseph Facun, NPR)

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, December 20, 2018:

The symptoms appear gradually, and don’t go away.

Shortness of breath. A chronic cough. Coughing up phlegm.

Other diseases, and illnesses, can cause similar symptoms. The difference is that with a diagnosis of black lung, there is no cure, only treatment of the symptoms.

A multi-year investigation by NPR and the PBS program Frontline has identified an outbreak of the advanced stage of black lung that is far greater than previously thought or reported.

In the past, black lung was usually associated with older miners who spent their working lives underground. The trend now is that the disease is occurring in workers who have logged as little as ten years in the mines.

Appearing on Smart Talk to about the resurgence of the deadly coal miner disease is NPR Investigative Correspondent Howard Berkes. Listen to NPR report, “An Epidemic is Killing Thousands of Coal Miners. Regulators Could Have Stopped it.

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Stephen Voss/NPR

Also, emergency rooms are often the first line of help for people living with mental illness and their link to treatment resources.

WITF Transforming Health reporter Brett Sholtis appears on Smart Talk to discuss the impact this has on ER’S and the individuals and families seeking help. Also joining the discussion is Kenneth “KC” Johnson, WellSpan Phillhaven director of access and crisis intervention.

This story is part of WITF’s Through the Cracks project, to investigate and examine how those who are living with mental illness are coping, receiving treatment, and integrating into the community.

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KC Johnson and Brett Sholtis