Quick signature:
Tell Congress to close the coverage gap for people in states that refuse
to expand Medicaid!
*When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to the letter below if we
already have your information.
[ [link removed] ]Take Action Now
[ [link removed] ]TAKE ACTION
Dear Friend,
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected yet another attempt to
dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA). [ [link removed] ] This is huge and a victory
for families across the country—the ACA is here to stay!
While we celebrate this decision, it is also important to recognize that
this Republican-led effort to rip health care away from tens of millions
of people happened in the middle of a pandemic! Furthermore, the fight
against expanding health coverage is still alive and well in over a dozen
states as their legislatures refuse to adopt (or in some cases implement)
the expansion of health care to low-income uninsured adults. [ [link removed] ] We need
a federal solution to help get health coverage to the more than two
million poor uninsured adults who live in these non-expansion states. [ [link removed] ]
[1]*Quick signature: Tell Congress to close the coverage gap for people in
states that refuse to expand Medicaid! *When you click, you’ll
automatically sign on to the letter below if we already have your
information.
What’s the deal? When the ACA passed, Congress intended for low-income
uninsured adults to gain coverage through the expansion of Medicaid—a
joint federal and state program that provides health insurance coverage to
millions of people across the country. However, a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court
decision made the expansion of Medicaid optional for states. [ [link removed] ] Thus far,
38 states including Washington, D.C. have expanded Medicaid, but there are
still 12 states refusing the expansion which has left millions of people
in the Medicaid coverage gap.
These 12 states are primarily in the South, where eligibility for Medicaid
is still extremely limited. For example, the median income limit for
parents to qualify for Medicaid is just 41% of the poverty level or an
annual income of $8,905 for a family of three in 2020. And in nearly all
of these states, childless adults remain ineligible for coverage
altogether. [ [link removed] ]
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important it is for everyone to have
health care coverage, especially in communities where large health
disparities have long been present. In states that expanded Medicaid,
racial disparities in both coverage and access to care has drastically
decreased. In fact, the gap in uninsured rates between white and Black
adults shrunk by 51% in expansion states. [ [link removed] ] Medicaid expansion was also
associated with a significantly lower rate of maternal death. Expansion of
Medicaid with improved access to coverage and care is crucial, especially
during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis.
[2]Sign on now! Tell Congress that Americans should not be denied health
care simply because of where they live.
When you click, you’ll automatically sign on to our letter that reads:
Dear Member of Congress,
The COVID-19 pandemic has made crystal clear the need for everyone to have
access to quality, affordable health care coverage. However, there are
still 12 states refusing to expand Medicaid, leaving over 2 million
uninsured poor adults left in the Medicaid coverage gap with no realistic
access to health coverage.
With the majority of these states in the South, more than 55% of uninsured
adults are Black, Hispanic, or Asian, reaching as high as 72% in some
states. The residents of these 12 states—especially people of color—are
being denied the right, benefits, and dignity of health care coverage
granted to Americans in the other 38 states. Congress fully intended this
right when it expanded Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act.
In states that have expanded Medicaid, there have been great strides taken
toward narrowing racial health gaps, including fewer maternal deaths for
Black and Hispanic women. Medicaid expansion has saved lives across the
country, as well as saving money and improving people’s overall health and
well-being. These benefits should not be denied to Americans simply
because of where they live—especially in regions that already bear long,
enduring legacies of structural racism and violence.
Please support a federal solution to close the health coverage gap for
people in states that refuse to expand Medicaid.
[3]Don’t forget to add your name! Tell Congress we need a federal solution
to close the health coverage gap for people in states that refuse to
expand Medicaid!
The more people who speak out, the bigger our impact. Please take a moment
to forward our action link to your friends and family and share it on
social media:
[4][link removed]
Together we are a powerful voice for the health of families.
- Felicia, Tasmiha, Donna, Kristin and the whole MomsRising /
MamásConPoder team
References:
[1] NBC News, [5]Supreme Court spares Obamacare from GOP challenge
[2] Kaiser Family Foundation, [6]Status of State Medicaid Expansion
Decisions: Interactive Map
[3] Kaiser Family Foundation, [ [link removed] ]The Coverage Gap: Uninsured Poor Adults
in States that Do Not Expand Medicaid
[4] Kaiser Family Foundation, [ [link removed] ]A Guide to the Supreme Court’s Decision
on the ACA’s Medicaid Expansion
[5] Kaiser Family Foundation, [ [link removed] ]The Coverage Gap: Uninsured Poor Adults
in States that Do Not Expand Medicaid
[6] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, [ [link removed] ]Medicaid Expansion Has
Helped Narrow Racial Disparities in Health Coverage and Access to Care
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ [link removed] ]Vote [ [link removed] ]Facebook [ [link removed] ]Twitter [ [link removed] ]Radio [ [link removed] ]Donate
[ [link removed] ]Register to vote! / [ [link removed] ]¡Regístrese para votar!
[ [link removed] ]Join our Spanish language community, MamásConPoder.org
What should MomsRising tackle next? [ [link removed] ]Tell us!
You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time:
[link removed]
