Health Care
Wed Jun 28, 2017
At the urging of COPA leadership, the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County unanimously voted to quadruple the size of COPA’s healthcare pilot project from $500 thousand to $2 Million on an annual basis.
The expanded program will provide at least 2,500 low-income undocumented residents, including farm workers and their families, with full-scope primary and preventative care, labs, radiology, medication and specialty services. A third-party administrator will be hired to issue enrollment cards, administer payments and track data.
Said Catholic Bishop Richard Garcia, “This has been a success because of the strong belief and labor of so many of our COPA members and our many great leaders representing our various communities!”
The real story is the persistent leadership demonstrated by leaders who are also future beneficiaries — immigrants concerned about their families and neighbors. These leaders organized hundreds of meetings in parishes and neighborhoods, participated in strategy meetings and publicly shared their story at Board meetings. Said leader Tony Jara of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, “This program will allow me to [see a specialist], so I can work and care for my family without experiencing …constant pain. It gives me great joy to work towards something that will help others in a similar situation.”
[In photo, Veronica Torres of St. Mary Catholic Church will finally be able to see a urologist under the expanded pilot project.]
Background stories detail how COPA:
2016 – Won Support for Undocumented Healthcare
2015 – Leveraged $500,000 for Pilot Health Project
2015 – Defended Healthcare for Unauthorized Kids
Tue Sep 23, 2014
The morning after an assembly in which hundreds of San Fernando Valley leaders of One LA leveraged commitments from District 3 candidates to ensure sufficient funding for the ‘My Health LA’ program, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted to invest $6 Million inadditional dollars for the program.
One LA estimates that the added funding will expand coverage by 35 to 40 thousand individuals. This victory comes months after the organization identified millions of County dollarsthat could be used to cover more uninsured people, including undocumented County residents.
One LA leaders and allies were on hand for the vote.
LA County Supervisor Rivals Sheila Kuehl Bobby Shriver Debate Tonight, LA Times
LA County’s Top Health Official Shows Compassionate Side, LA Daily News
One LA Urges Supervisors to Cover the Uninsured, Angelus – The Tidings Online
Additional background information, WXSWIAF
Tue May 6, 2014
Testifying before the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, COPA leader Elsa Quezada called for a County strategy to educate undocumented and uninsured Monterey residents about newly available healthcare services. ”They are our neighbors, our friends, they go to church with us, they join us at the park, the rodeo…their children go to school with our children,” she argued.
At COPA’s urging, the Board approved the creation of a strategic plan and simplified “access point document” to better spread the word about healthcare access to the uninsured; both are to be produced within 90 days.
Study: Undocumented Rarely Visit Doctors, The Californian
Buscan Servicios de Salud, Univision Monterey-Salinas Channel 67
Sat Feb 1, 2014
Since last year’s victory in busting through political blockage to resurrect the Low Income Health Plan, Viacare, over 3,000 Monterey County residents have enrolled, doubling last year’s projections. In addition to this, and in partnership with the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, COPA institutions reached over 2500 people through civic academies about the Affordable Care Act. [Photo Credit: Nic Coury, Monterey County Weekly]
County Extends Health Insurance Bridge Program, Obamacare Enrollment Kicks In, Monterey County Weekly
COPA leaders celebrate doubling of healthcare insurance enrollment numbers.
Fri Jun 14, 2013
Seven moderate Republicans broke ranks during a late night vote, ushering Medicaid expansion into Arizona and expanding access to 300,000 vulnerable poor. This followed a VIP assembly in which 800 leaders applauded state Senators, Representatives and Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer for supporting expansion. Additional press here. [Photo by David Jolkovski,Ahwatukee Foothills News]
Tue Feb 19, 2013
One LA leaders fought for and won “Community Partner Status” with the LA County Department of Health Services, granting it direct access to the county enrollment system. Now 50 leaders will train to become ‘Certified Application Assisters’, with the power to directly enroll people through the County computer system at 25 One LA mobile enrollment events at member institutions. They will be supported 30 leaders at each institution trained as ‘healthcare experts,’ who will educate and recruit people to attend their institiution’s events. The goal is to enroll thousands of eligible LA residents.
Wed Jan 16, 2013
When COPA leaders discovered a lapsed initiative to provide healthcare to low-income adults in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, leaders organized an assembly with seven out of the ten county supervisors and leveraged commitments to bust through the political blockage. Congregational and labor leaders soon rejoiced when the Monterey Board of Supervisors voted to implement the Low Income Health Care Plan (LIHP) and extend healthcare coverage to as many as 1,500 additional adults.
Thu Aug 2, 2012
The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, a lead group inside the coalition that passed Massachusetts' 2006 universal health care law, has made health care history again by organizing overwhelming public support for a new law that will contain the growth of medical costs. This legislation, like the universal health care law itself, will likely become a model for national reform.
Wed Feb 22, 2012
Common Ground, a coalition of religious groups and other organizations, has been awarded a $56.4 million federal loan to start a nonprofit health insurer that would be run by its members.
The money is part of $3.8 billion included federal health care reform to help start nonprofit health insurers, similar to cooperatives, to compete in the market for individuals and small businesses.
The loans are to help the nonprofit health insurers - referred to as CO-OPs, for Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans - with start-up costs and to meet requirements that insurers maintain minimum reserves to pay claims.
Thu Aug 11, 2011
Tananya Henry of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization cheers the hard work that led to the Massachusetts health reform law -- which has since provided health insurance coverage to nearly 1/2 million people all across the state, including many member of her own Roxbury church.
Wed Jun 15, 2011
As a result of house meetings with over 3,000 people from 35 institutions, DAI leaders created the Durable Medical Equipment Exchange to accept, repair, sanitize, and redistribute durable medical equipment such as walkers, hospital beds, wheel chairs, etc.
This equipment is needed by 25 to 50,000 people a year in Dallas County.
Wed Jun 15, 2011
After a prolonged fight on behalf of expectant mothers who had to travel 45 miles to Marshalltown or Des Moines for affordable prenatal healthcar, AMOS leaders succeeded in establishing a free pre-natal care clinic for the uninsured women. The ambulatory clinic will be staffed with volunteer medical personnel and focus on neighborhoods with the least access to affordable healthcare. Said CCHD Director Ralph McCLoud: "AMOS saves lives by ensuring that pregnant mothers have proper prenatal care."
In the News
Health Care
Lake County United
Lake County United Wins an Additional 100 Inpatient Beds for Behavioral Hospital in Waukegan
Monday, November 26, 2018
Lake County United successfully pressed for approval to add 100 more inpatient beds at the new behavioral hospital in Waukegan, IL. Lake Behavioral Hospital will now have 146 beds and is committed to serving adults and adolescents regardless of their ability to pay.
Opioid Addiction, Rev. Gideon Pollach, Joe Morris, Metro IAF
NY Daily News
Long Island Congregations: An Opioid Superfund to Save Lives
Monday, February 26, 2018
In recent weeks, what almost everyone has acknowledged to be a national crisis — the deaths of 64,000 Americans from drug overdoses in 2016 alone, more American deaths than in the entire Vietnam War — has begun to get the attention a national crisis deserves.
The President, in his 2019 proposed budget, requested $5 billion to combat the opioid epidemic — a pittance compared to the scale of the problem, but perhaps a sign that the administration now recognizes the need to act. Purdue Pharma, whose aggressive marketing got many Americans hooked on opioid pain pills in the first place, announced that it would stop promoting OxyContin to doctors and would cut its sales staff in half....
Lake County United, Waukegan, Mental Healthcare, Hospital, HealthVest
Daily Herald
Lake County United Secures Approval of 146-Bed Behavioral Hospital
Monday, January 22, 2018
As a result of Lake County United’s continued effort to establish relationships with power players who share an interest in diverting those who are mentally ill from jail, LCU helped build the strong support necessary to win a unanimous approval of a 146-bed behavioral hospital in Waukegan, IL. The hospital will be owned by U.S. HealthVest, and will have all the elements of a much needed crisis stabilization unit.
Esperanza Care, affordable healthcare, Immigration Reform, Low-Income
The Californian & Monterey Herald
COPA Launches $2M Health Care Expansion in Monterey County
Monday, October 16, 2017
When Maria Elena Manzo (upper left photo), an asthma educator from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, first discovered that children of Monterey County undocumented were unable to qualify for free life-saving asthma inhalers — and that those in Santa Cruz county did — she immediately reached out to COPA-IAF. She and other COPA leaders organized hundreds of conversations over the next few years to build the political will, first for a $500,000 county-funded pilot project providing basic healthcare services to undocumented families, and now for Esperanza Care.
Esperanza Care, is a $2 million program that will expand the pilot primary and preventive care program to make it more comprehensive and available to more people. It will also provide access, for the first time, to outpatient services at neurology, diabetes, heart and dermatology clinics....
Together Louisiana, Medicaid, BCRA, affordable healthcare
The Advocate & More
Together Louisiana Reminds Sen. Cassidy of Medicaid Promise
Thursday, July 27, 2017
To the surprise of many, both Louisiana Senators voted in favor of two health care measures that would roll back Medicaid funding. In response, Together Louisiana publicly reminded one of the Senators of his Medicaid promises:
“Sen. (Bill) Cassidy has shown, in a way that has been refreshing and sometimes surprising, intelligence, thoughtfulness, content knowledge and compassion in his assessments of the realities of the health care bills as they’ve worked their way through the House and the Senate. He has said in many occasions and many different forms, in small settings and large settings, including face to face interviews and to members of Together Louisiana, that he would not support the Senate bill in the current form because it was too devastating an effect on individual people and on health care markets. And yesterday he voted for that bill....”
Spokane Alliance, Washington IAF, mental health facility
Spokesman Review
Spokane Alliance Secures Support for Mental Health Facility
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
At present, if a mentally ill person commits a crime in Spokane, the only places to send them are either the ER or jail. After three years of work, Spokane Alliance leaders secured political support for a proposal they developed — the construction of a mental health stabilization facility to which individuals meeting certain criteria can be referred for short term treatment.
The Spokane Regional Law and Justice Council voted to approve a plan to build the facility in 2018.
Medicaid, Rabbi Akselrad, Rabbi Cohen, Bishop Edwards, Bishop Pepe, Bishop Holmerud, Bishop Hoshibata, Bishop Talmage, Bishop Carcaño
Nevada Independent
Nevada Faith Leaders: Don't Cut Medicaid
Friday, June 23, 2017
As leaders of the interfaith community and Nevadans for the Common Good, we understand “true worship is to work for justice and care for the poor and oppressed” (Isaiah 58: 5-7).
For this reason, we are deeply concerned about how proposed cuts to Medicaid would affect the most vulnerable in our community. Medicaid provides life sustaining health care for more than 600,000 Nevadans, including children, pregnant women, the elderly, veterans, the working poor, and persons with disabilities.
Equal access to adequate health care affirms the dignity of every person. Medicaid coverage includes ...
Senate Health Bill, AHCA, Medicaid, affordable healthcare
Together Baton Rouge
Together Baton Rouge Targets US Senator Cassidy Re: Medicaid
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Arguing that Louisiana would be big loser in Senate swap of health coverage for tax cuts, Together Baton Rouge leaders circulated a video featuring one of Senator Cassidy's constituents.
April Blackburn voted for Bill Cassidy for his 2014 US Senate race. She met Senator Cassidy in person earlier in the year, where he assured her that he only would support a health bill if it assured that "families like hers would be taken care of" and would not "fall through the cracks."
April's three year-old daughter has leukemia. Her chemotherapy costs over $1 million. They are one of the families who could lose coverage from the proposed Medicaid cuts....
Arizona Interfaith, Medicaid, AHCA, affordable healthcare, Arizona IAF
Scottsdale Independent
Arizona Interfaith: Restructuring Medicaid Will Cause Irreversible Harm
Monday, June 19, 2017
Beware Arizona. The potential restructuring of Medicaid, as approved by the House and undergoing secretive deliberations in the Senate, will cause irreversible harm.
Close to 500,000 Arizonans will lose health care coverage, endangering lives and undermining an open public process.
As clergy leaders with the Arizona Interfaith Network, we are profoundly concerned that the proposed changes under the American Health Care Act would affect virtually every dimension of family life, especially for middle and lower income families.
From caring for people in our congregations, we know that Medicaid saves lives….
Mental Health
Des Moines Register
AMOS Fights for Expanded Mental Health Care Coverage
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Six months after a fall assembly in which hundreds of AMOS leaders pressured state legislators to restore mental health funding, leaders persisted in their quest — writing an OpEd and testifying before the legislature.
“This isn’t just a tax issue. This is an issue of life or death,” testified Travis Stanley, pastor of Norwalk Christian Church and leader with AMOS. AMOS criticizes a state law capping the amount counties can collect for such services to the amount they collected in 1996, regardless of whether the county grew since then. “Keeping the cap at 1996 levels — when I was 16 — has killed people. People have lost their lives because of this,” he said.
Let Counties Spend More on Mental Health, Advocates Ask Legislators, Des Moines Register [pdf]
Stop Underfunding Mental Health, Des Moines Register
Ankeny Candidates Agree to Support More Mental Healthcare Access, Des Moines Register
Affordable Care Act, Affordable Housing, criminal justice reform, Boston
Boston Globe
Hundreds Attend Interfaith Gathering to Work for Justice, Save Health Law
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Over 900 people filled the sanctuary and two overflow rooms at Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain to call on elected officials to work with Greater Boston Interfaith Organization...
Matthew McDermott, Insurance Rates
New York Times
Insurers Use Process Intended to Curb Rate Increases to Justify Them
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Matthew McDermott, the leader of an interfaith advocacy group, Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut, said: “We’re concerned that the proposed rate increases will drive many employers and many individuals to drop coverage altogether. And we worry that that heads us toward a market failure here in Connecticut.”
Together Louisiana, Medicaid Expansion, Governor John Bel Edwards
Associated Press
At Urging of 'Together Louisiana', Governor Signs Medicaid Expansion
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
On his first full day in office, newly elected Governor John Bel Edwards made good on a pledge to ‘Together Louisiana’ to expand Medicaid. Edwards signed the executive order for this expansion flanked by Together Louisiana leaders Fr. Rick Andrus, Rev. Patti Snyder, Ms. Pat LeDuff and Ms. Alma Stewart (with LA Health Equity). The expansion is expected to provide healthcare to an additional 300,000 Louisiana residents within the next six months....
California IAF, community organizing in Central California, Salinas, Monterey
Monterey Herald
COPA Advances Health Services for Uninsured Undocumented Kids
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
No money was actually handed out, but a proposed pilot program aimed at providing health services to Monterey County’s undocumented immigrants may have been the biggest winner during Tuesday’s county budget hearing....
Insurance, Marketplace, Wisconsin IAF
Milwaukee Business Journal
Common Ground Led Obamacare Enrollments in 2014: Report
Friday, November 14, 2014
With open enrollment starting Saturday for the second year of the online Affordable Care Act insurance exchange, a recent report shows that Common Ground Health Care Cooperative added the most enrollees of Wisconsin insurers in the first year....
NCLI, Louisiana Interfaith, Louisiana IAF, Organizing in Louisiana, Congressman Vance McAllister
Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith
NCLI Gets (R) Congressman to Admit Louisiana Needs Medicaid Expansion
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Over 150 leaders from Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith assembled with three candidates for US Congressional District 5 including Republican incumbent Vance McAllister, Dr. Ralph Abraham and Mayor Jamie Mayo. Leaders succeeded in leveraging bipartisan agreement to work with the organization to....
Community Organizing in Milwaukee, Cathy McHaffey, Healthcare Co-Op
Milwaukee Business Journal
Common Ground's CEO Recognized by Milwaukee Business Journal
Friday, September 5, 2014
Cathy Mahaffey grew up in small town in southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, where she learned to fish — a passion she still shares with her two sons and husband, Tim.
Away from the water, the Mahaffeys form a health insurance power couple as both Cathy and Tim lead separate Wisconsin-based health insurance organizations. She looks and sounds like a businesswoman in her professional attire and expertise in referencing insurance industry lingo.
Attorney General Coakley, Partners Healthcare System, ACA, Medical Costs, Community Organizing in Boston, Community Organizing in Massachusetts
Boston Globe
GBIO Scrutinizes Deal Between AG Coakley & Partners Healthcare
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Saying it’s worried that mounting medical costs are squeezing family and government budgets, a group that is representing dozens of Boston-area religious congregations wants the state Health Policy Commission to determine whether a pending deal between Attorney General Martha Coakley and Partners HealthCare System will make health care more affordable.
California IAF, Community Organizing in California, community organizing in Los Angeles, Healthcare, ACA
Angelus - The Tidings Online
One LA-IAF Demands LA County Supervisors Cover All
Friday, May 30, 2014
Claretian Father Bruce Wellems, pastor of San Gabriel Mission, testified that increasing funds to cover the “residually uninsured” [undocumented residents] is “the right thing to do. It’s the just thing to do. It’s a good investment and will save money in the end. We think it should be done right, and we don’t want to create a waiting list during the year.”
Community Organizing in California, Community Organizing in Central Coast California, COPA, Tim McManus, ACA, Healthcare
The Californian & Univision Channel 64
COPA Wins Healthcare Plan of Action for Uninsured & Undocumented
Thursday, May 8, 2014
COPA leader Elsa Quezada testified before the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, calling for a County strategy to educate undocumented and uninsured Monterey residents about newly available healthcare services.
”They are our neighbors, our friends, they go to church with us, they join us at the park, the rodeo…their children go to school with our children,” she argued...
community organizing in Los Angeles, Community Organizing in California, California IAF, ACA
LA Times & Jewish Journal
One LA Finds $11M in County Funds, Demands More Healthcare
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
After identifying $11 million in otherwise sunsetting County funds, One LA-IAF leaders testified to the Board of Supervisors about their year long enrollment effort and the the gaps that remain even after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act...
DACA, Healthcare Eligibility, Covered California, Diane Vanette, ACA, Medi-Cal
Los Angeles Times
One LA Spreads Word of Healthcare Eligibility in Los Angeles
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
...Diane Vanette, a volunteer with OneLA who screens people at Obamacare enrollment events, recently informed a couple with deferred-action status that they were both eligible for Medi-Cal. “He was shocked, she was shocked,” Vanette said....
COPA, ViaCare, LIHP, ACA, Healthcare Access, Tim McManus, Joaquin Sanchez
Monterey County Weekly
COPA Explodes Barriers to Healthcare Access in Monterey County
Sunday, December 8, 2013
ACA, Enrollment, Obama, Dallas, Healthcare Organizing, Texas IAF, Willie Bennett
Texas Tribune
President Obama Thanks Dallas Area Interfaith Leaders
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The president spoke at Temple Emanu-El, a Jewish synagogue and member of Dallas Area Interfaith, a nonpartisan coalition of religious organizations that advocates for affordable health care options. He thanked Dallas Area Interfaith and other health care advocates for their efforts to educate Texans on the impact of federal health reform...
ACA, Federal Insurance Marketplace, Universal Healthcare, DAI, Willie Bennett
Dallas Morning News & Politico
Dallas Area Interfaith Enrollment Efforts Draw Visit from President Obama
Monday, November 4, 2013
White House press secretary Jay Carney responds: “Dallas is one of the 10 cities with the highest rates of uninsured residents that participate in the federal marketplace, and Dallas has one of the most active groups in the community working on enrollment and outreach efforts. President looks forward to meeting with these folks who are playing such an important role in the outreach effort to make sure that Americans who are uninsured get the insurance that’s available to them...
