Dear Neighbor,

Over the past few weeks, my team and I have been supporting our local hospitals, working to lower costs, and recognizing everyday heroes in our community.

As I head back to Harrisburg, I’m focused on protecting access to care as Washington’s decisions put coverage and costs at risk for Pennsylvania families.

Here are a few updates from Harrisburg and around the community.

As always, my team is here to help:

📞 215-482-8726

📧 RepKhan@pahouse.net

📍 4001 Main St., #101, Manayunk

Warm regards,

In this issue:

🚨 Hospital Risks Across Pennsylvania

🩺 Honoring a Healthcare Hero

🏥 Medicaid Cuts & Losing Coverage

🏛️ Investing in Local Healthcare

🕯️Remembering the Holocaust

🚗 Safer Streets Legislation

🦷 Free Dental Care Opportunity in Philly

🗳️ May Primary Reminder

🚍 Helping Seniors Stay Mobile

🧹 5th District PDAC Cleanup Day

⚾ Opening Day in Roxborough

📜 This Week Ahead

🗓️ Upcoming Events

When people lose healthcare coverage, hospitals feel it.

A new report found 446 hospitals at risk of cuts, layoffs, or closure due to Washington cuts, including Roxborough Memorial and others in Pennsylvania. Many hospitals rely on Medicaid and already operate on thin margins. Washington has slashed Medicaid funding and refused to renew ACA subsidies to help people pay for their healthcare.

Image: At Roxborough Memorial Hospital for our older adult fair. 

The result is fewer services, layoffs, and possible closures. We saw this with Hahnemann.

When a hospital closes, it doesn’t just disappear, it means longer waits, fewer services, and less access to care across an entire region.

That is why my bill with Rep. Lisa Borowski would require state approval before major hospital sales. It has passed the House and is now in the Senate.

We are working with Roxborough Hospital to identify state grants to support our essential community hospital.

I recently joined state Sen. Art Haywood at Chestnut Hill Hospital to honor Cindy Zimmerman with a joint citation. Her story says it all.

Cindy is a nurse who did not hesitate when it mattered most. She pulled over on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and used her training to help save someone’s life.

That is what nursing is. Assessing where help is needed. Staying calm. And Cindy did that at a critical moment and saved a life.

Image: Embracing Cindy as we honored her with a citation from the General Assembly. 

It was an honor to recognize Cindy alongside her colleagues and celebrate the very best of this profession. And here is the part that really stays with you: She told us she was having dinner that weekend with the person she helped.

That is what impact looks like.

Image: Newspaper graphic of an article from the Philly Voice on Cindy. 

Last week, I met with healthcare researchers, and what I heard was deeply concerning.

Right now, 3.1 million Pennsylvanians rely on Medicaid, 2 million rely on SNAP, and nearly 500,000 get coverage through Pennie. Federal changes put that at risk: About 310,000 could lose Medicaid; 144,000 could lose SNAP (nearly 60,000 have already lost coverage); and many more could lose coverage due to new paperwork - not eligibility.

Because the federal government has not expanded ACA subsidies, health insurance premiums have more than doubled, pushing even more people out of coverage. We know what follows: delayed care, overcrowded ERs, and medical debt that lasts for years.

That’s why at the state level, we’re pushing to:

• Explore new revenue streams, including a severance tax on gas drilling
• Streamline enrollment systems to reduce red tape and costs
• Stabilize access to care for vulnerable communities with better funding for Medicaid

Because losing coverage doesn’t mean people stop needing care, it just means they can’t get it.

I was proud to join Sen. Haywood to help deliver $400,000 for the Women’s Center at Chestnut Hill Hospital to help pay for new cancer detection equipment.

Image: Photo from the grant presentation event at Chestnut Hill Hospital. 

This investment helps ensure women in our community can access high-quality care close to home, but it’s also about something bigger: early detection and prevention.

When people have access to regular screenings, checkups, and specialized care:

• Cancers are caught earlier, when they’re more treatable
• Chronic conditions are managed before they become emergencies
• Families avoid the emotional and financial toll of late-stage diagnoses

This week, I had the honor of speaking at the Governor’s Holocaust Commemoration in Harrisburg and attending Philadelphia’s annual Holocaust Remembrance ceremony.

Image: Speaking at Governor’s Holocaust Memorial Ceremony.  

These moments of remembrance are not just about looking back. They are about understanding the consequences of hate, silence, and dehumanization, and the responsibility we all carry to speak up and act.

We remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, along with millions of others targeted for who they were. We honor their lives by continuing the work of confronting hate in all its forms.

At a time when antisemitism is rising and dangerous rhetoric is becoming more normalized, these gatherings are a powerful reminder that “never again” is not just something we say, it is something we must live out through our actions.

Image: Yesterday with Barbara Shaiman a daughter of Holocaust survivors and victims at the Holocaust Commemoration. 

Earlier this session, I passed a bill into law with Rep. Ben Waxman to remove taxes on Holocaust reparations. Last session, I worked with Appropriations Chair Jordan Harris and others to secure $5 million to protect synagogues, houses of worship, and nonprofits from hate crimes. And now, I’m working with Rep. Waxman on a bill to fund Holocaust education in schools, strengthen what’s being taught, and help students recognize and stand up to hate.

I am grateful to stand with survivors, families, and community members in remembrance, and in our shared commitment to build a safer, more just future for all.

On roads like Henry Avenue, MLK Boulevard, and North Broad, we’ve lost too many people including neighbors like Kevin Saint Clair and Sam Ozer here in our community.

That’s why I am introducing bipartisan legislation to expand automated speed enforcement to more dangerous corridors across Pennsylvania.

We know it works. On Roosevelt Boulevard, speed cameras reduced speeding by 95%, cut pedestrian crashes nearly in half, and significantly reduced serious and fatal crashes.

This is about using a proven tool to save lives and prevent the kinds of tragedies no family should have to go through.

Watch a short video below by clicking here or the image below

Image: News coverage of the press conference.

If you or someone you know has been putting off a dental visit because of cost, there’s a great option right here in our community.

The Community College of Philadelphia offers free dental hygiene services to the public, including cleanings, dental hygiene assessments, and X-rays. Services are provided by students under supervision at a state-of-the-art dental hygiene clinic on campus in Center City, available most weekdays. And Manayunk resident Judith Festevole is one of the dental hygiene students providing care!

📍 1708 Spring Garden Street

📞 215-751-8625

This is an easy way to stay on top of your oral health without worrying about cost—please share with anyone who might benefit.

Image: Photograph of me and staff from a recent visit to CCP.

The May primary is coming up!

If you’re planning to vote by mail, now is the time to request your ballot. Once it arrives, fill it out and return it early to make sure it’s received on time.

Voting by mail is secure, accessible, and available to all registered voters.

Request your ballot here:

Earlier this month at St. John’s, we helped older adults sign up for SEPTA Senior Fare Cards, giving them free rides to the doctor, the grocery store, and wherever they need to go.

The SEPTA Senior Fare Card application is quick, usually just a few minutes. Once it’s submitted, SEPTA will mail the card directly to you.

Folks can call or email our office for details, or feel free to stop by in person and we’re happy to help you walk through it!

Image: Photo of me speaking at St. John's.

This weekend, I had a great time helping kick off opening day with more than 600 players signed up to play 21st Ward Baseball!

I was honored to throw out the first pitch alongside Councilmember Curtis Jones and celebrate the start of a new season with so many kids and families from across our community!

I LOVE baseball and there’s something special about opening day. The Roxborough Rebels are one of the best baseball leagues in the city — good luck to all the teams this season!!

Image (Clockwise from top left): 1. Photo of me greeting players as they took the field, 2. A young athlete asked me some questions before playing, 3. Photo of me and Councilmember Jones throwing the opening pitch.

On Saturday, we had the chance to enjoy the beautiful weather as I joined the 5th District Police District Advisory Council (PDAC) in Roxborough to help clean up old leaves and trash around the neighborhood.

Thank you to everyone who came out and pitched in. It’s that kind of community pride and teamwork that keeps our neighborhoods strong! If you are interested in hearing about future clean-ups, hosted by PDAC, Friends of the Wissahickon, or anyone else, feel free to reach out to my office and we can guide you in the right direction.

Image: Photo of me and other volunteers during the cleanup event. 

As we head back to Harrisburg this week, session resumed today, and early budget discussions will continue to take shape for a vote in June.

On the agenda: our “Golden Girls Bill” that takes on outdated housing policy is up for a vote in the House Housing Committee. We will also be moving forward on bills to strengthen protections against workplace discrimination and hate crimes, protect utility customers from rate hikes, prevent animal cruelty, and support Pennsylvania immigrants.

Click on the image above to read about our Golden Girls bill.

All my best,

Tarik

April 19th— Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival 11am-5pm

Main Street will be lined with dozens of food trucks and local vendors on Sunday, April 19 from 11am to 5 pm. There will also be live music and a family area on Lock Street.

If you’re in the area, it’s an easy way to spend an afternoon and try a lot of different spots in one place.

April 20th— Library Office Hours 11am- 2pm

This month, our library office hours will be taking place at two different locations at the same time! Join us at either Chestnut Hill Library or Roxborough Library at this time for assistance with state services from our district office staff.

April 22nd – Know Your Rights When It Comes to Ice
6 – 8pm

With recent increased federal activity in Philadelphia’s airport, we are joining with Philly Neighborhood Networks and the office of Councilmember Kendra Brooks to run a Know Your Rights training in our community.

The event will take place at 6pm on April 22nd - rsvp to reptarik@pahouse.net for more information.

May 12 – Property Tax / Rent Rebate Clinic
12:30 – 3pm | Journey’s Way, 403 Rector Street

Join us to apply for a program that can put real money back in your pocket if you qualify. This is for property tax or rent rebates. Don’t miss this opportunity to save! Call our office for more details or to arrange an appointment. Appointment is required — call our office at 215-482-8726.

May 30 – Shredder Day at NewCourtland
9am – 12pm | NewCourtland, 3232 Henry Avenue

Shredder Day is Saturday, May 30th from 9am to 12pm! Three hours to safely dispose of personal documents, protect yourself from identity theft, and enjoy a little peace of mind. Bring your old papers and watch our team handle them securely.

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Pennsylvania State Capitol
121-A East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-4945

Community Office

4001 Main St., #101
Philadelphia, PA 19127
(215) 482-8726

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