| Gone! Last week we witnessed a dramatic ending to the Senate’s multi-month attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council is proud to be a part of an enormous collective effort that stopped Congress from decimating Medicaid coverage for very low-income individuals. For everyone that participated in this advocacy effort, thank you! Read about how our collective grassroots effort made it happen. Our work is not over, and now we move on to face federal budget cuts, along with the rising threats of health care changes at the state level. Learn more below and Take Action this August.
| |
Marketplace and Medicaid Reform Significant changes to the health care system are possible, and several states (so far Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Arizona, and Wisconsin) have already applied for Medicaid Waivers that will reduce coverage for low-income individuals or add significant barriers to care (such as premiums/copays, drug testing, time limits, work requirements, etc.). The National HCH Council has opposed any changes that reduce access to health care. Being active at the state level--for example, joining your state’s Medicaid Advisory Committee--is important to protect access to vital health care. While the larger health reform debate is stalled in Congress, legislators are now moving on to smaller bipartisan marketplace reform and may still attempt to insert cuts to Medicaid in other bills related to health care. We’ll be watching for that.
Learn more:
| |
Single-Payer Attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act are bringing the single-payer solution to the forefront of political discussions. House bill H.R. 676 currently stands with a record 116 cosigners, Senate Democrats are rumored to be developing a Senate version of the bill (with Senator Sanders’ bill pending), and states continue to pursue their own versions.
Learn more:
| |
Federal Housing Budget The House and Senate both signed off on respective budget plans for the HUD budget. The House version makes drastic cuts to key affordable housing programs, such as Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance. Whether or not the budget plans will receive a full vote is unclear. More action is expected after the August recess, with possibilities for a few more months of debate. On the health care front, the HHS appropriations bill has yet to be approved in the Senate. We will provide more information on this in our next Mobilizer.
Learn more:
| |
| Local Spotlight "I emphasized just how important Medicaid is to the continued functioning of Nevada …the expansion was one of the single most important events in improving the rate of care … if the legislature were to cut Medicaid, it would be devastating." -- Ryan Linden, Director of Silver State’s Health Care for the Homeless program in Las Vegas, Nevada, describing his meeting with Senator Heller’s office during the 2017 National Health Care for the Homeless Conference and Policy Symposium
| |
Did you receive Mobilizer as a forwarded email or hear about it via social media? Register now to receive our action alerts each month!
| |
|
Make Moves in August Congress takes a long Recess during August, which means your Congresspersons are back home. Find them at a town hall, invite them to visit your project (we suggest during HCH Day on Aug. 16), and set up in a meeting in their local offices. Let us know how we can help!
| |
Say Thanks to Your Senator If your Senator voted to protect Medicaid last week (see how they voted), be sure to thank them. Use this quick and easy tool from our partners at the Coalition on Human Needs or send a personal note to the office. Additionally, a handy list of online contact forms for senators is available.
| |
Build Momentum on Single-Payer With Senate Democrats debating the next move, now is the time to let your Senator know you support a universal single-payer health care system. Tell your Democratic Senators you are counting on them to support a single-payer solution (using those exact words!), or set up a discussion with the office. Don’t know how? Let us know and we’ll make it happen!
| |
Share Your Medicaid Story We are still working to prevent changes that harm vulnerable people, and we need your help. Whether you are an administrator, service provider, or consumer, telling your personal story is a powerful way to influence policy makers. Take a moment to send us a few sentences about your experience, or set up an easy ten-minute phone interview and we’ll record the story for you.
| |
This publication and all HCH advocacy are funded by dues from Organizational Members of the Council. Consider joining the Council to support this work.
| |
|
