If one links to Lancaster General Health’s ad on Lancaster On Line, the one that proclaims “Your health. Your Lifestyle. Your web site”, a banner message is “Free rapid HIV Testing.”
This is an important message. But lest we think that LGH is mending its way and using some of its immense profits resulting from monopolistic market dominance in the public’s interest, it should be noted that we the taxpayers via the State Health Department pay for this HIV testing through testing fees.
If Lancaster had a full service syringe exchange rather than the limited service provided by the Bethel AME church and the Watchdog, much of the testing would be done at the exchange level with far more participants and resulting greater safe keeping of our community. But LGH declined to help fund the proposed project by the Urban League or channel money to defray the Leagues other expenses which would have freed up dollars for the exchange.
Through LGH’s exploitation of its growing monopoly, feathering the nest of its executives, and failure to share with underfunded local charities but a mere morsel of its unjust profits, Lancaster is being figuratively raped by ‘Public Charity’ LGH, and bears it in silence.
