Health Care Advocacy Updates

THCC is celebrating 30 years! Help us celebrate is by scheduling a donation TODAY as part of the Big Payback's 24 hour fundraising event. Donations of any amount are appreciated - consider a $30 donation for our 30th Anniversary here!

THCC Updates In April THCC: Enrolled 208 people in healthcare plans (21 QHP and 187 TennCare). Generated more than 1000 letters and phone calls opposing block grants. Hosted 8 events to discuss healthcare reform policies in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Chattanooga, Huntsville, and Knoxville. Published this op-ed urging for Medicaid expansion and opposing block grant legislation. Made more than 150k social media impressions on information mostly related to block grants and the #MedicaidMatters campaign.

Mayor Holland, of McKenzie, TN speaking on the fallout from losing their hospital last fall, how Medicaid Expansion would have helped their community, and the difficulties of city employees finding affordable health care plans.

Reports and Announcements

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published "Health Insurance Coverage for People Under Age 65" that shows an increase of 1.4 million more people uninsured in 2018 than in 2016. (Link)  Voices4Kids published "10 Reasons to Reject Medicaid Block Grants" describing the problems with block grant proposals such as failure to adjust for economic recession. (Link) Kaiser Family Foundation published "Uninsured Adults in States that Did Not Expand Who Would Become Eligible for Medicaid under Expansion" providing an analysis of the 4.4 million uninsured adults that are in states that have not expanded Medicaid. (Link)

Events and Webinars Tennessee Rural Health Association is hosting a Middle Tennessee healthcare leadership forum May 6, 2019 in Lebanon, TN. Topics include Suicide Prevention, TN Hospital Closures and Health Care Policy. Details and registration here. Student Health Coalition of Vanderbilt University is hosting a gathering May 16 - 19, 2019 at Vanderbilt. For more details contact Advisory Council Chair Irwin Venick at ivenick@aol.com . Tennessee Health Care Campaign will host its annual conference on September 21, 2019 at Saint Thomas Hospital West. Details to follow soon.

Action Items and Input Opportunities Oppose Block grants Letter to Governor Lee: No to Block Grants This week Tennessee's Senate passed the Block grant bill aimed at limiting the number of people who can qualify for Medicaid in times of need. We urgently need everyone to send Governor Lee a message to oppose this legislation that will limit the number of people eligible for TennCare. (Link to Letter) Letter to the Editor: No to Block Grants - Yes to Medicaid Expansion - This template brings awareness to the concerns related to block grants. Enter your address to populate local newspapers, then you choose which to send your letter to. Customize as you see necessary, staying close to 300 words. (Link to Template) Protect the ACA ACA is Under Attack The Justice Department has announced its support of a lawsuit that would strike down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety. Send a message to your federal legislators urging them to defend the critical protections and expanded healthcare access provided by the ACA. (Link to letter)

News of Interest Andy Berke right to challenge TennCare cuts, changes, via Times Free Press Cancer group launches $4.5M campaign to boost Medicaid expansion via Politico CBO: over 1 million Americans have become uninsured since 2016, via Vox Farmers sound off about health costs, economic crisis in ag via The Free Press Health commissioner says Alaska isn’t seeking a Medicaid grant via Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Legislature values saving money over comprehensive health care coverage via Tennessean Medicaid expansion tied to fewer heart-related deaths, study finds via CNN Medicaid is crucial to seniors and awareness is crucial to the program's survival via The Hill Red states' Medicaid gamble: Paying more to cover fewer people via Axios Ronald Reagan would Expand Medicaid via the Tennessean Skimpy health plans touted by Trump bring back familiar woes for consumers via LA Times Surprise medical bills attract concern and calls for regulation via Insider Louisville Tennessee must take steps to prevent maternal deaths via Knox News With Tennessee pregnancy death rates on the rise, access to healthcare plays a big role via Jackson Sun

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