Health Care

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...

For years, Dallas Area Interfaith has zeroed in on ways to expand access to insurance and to reduce the cost of medical care overall. Now, "Dallas-area church and community groups are hoping to sort out the confusion of the federal Affordable Care Act, using a colorful new booklet that explains the law to people who are uninsured. About 300 people kicked off the educational effort Thursday night at Temple Emanu-El in North Dallas.

With about 100,000 Bexar County residents eligible to get healthcare insurance through the exchange, leaders from COPS/Metro Alliance and University Health System brought together close to 100 community stakeholders to evaluate ACA implementation readiness and identify concerns. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge David Matia estimates that area residents could save millions in local taxes if the offenders he sees in drug court had health insurance.
And if Ohio were to expand Medicaid, as being debated by state legislators, many of the defendants in his court would qualify for the state and federal health insurance program for the poor.... As the clock ticks on a decision, local lobbying for expansion has stepped up: On Monday, community activists held a rally at the Neighborhood Family Practice Center, a federally qualified community health center on Cleveland's West Side. In addition, Greater Cleveland Congregations announced that dozens of volunteers from area religious organizations and neighborhood groups will go door to door in the legislative swing districts of Rocky River, Berea and Solon this week to urge people to contact their legislators. 

COLUMBUS, Ohio --Ohio's Medicaid expansion is down, but not out.  House Republicans kept alive the possibility that Ohio may expand its Medicaid program to cover the working poor, approving an amendment to its budget that could open the door to changes later this year.... The amendment drew praise from Greater Cleveland Congregations, one of several groups that organized a rally outside the Statehouse last week urging lawmakers to support extending Medicaid. "The fact that this amendment passed with in a near-unanimous bipartisan vote shows that the legislature listened to the overwhelming outpouring of public support from Ohioans over the past 10 days, and wants to keep the conversation moving forward," Ari Lipman, lead organizer for the coalition, said in a statement. "Our diverse coalition will continue to work with House leadership, the Senate, and Governor Kasich through the budget process to achieve the best outcome for Ohio."

On a bipartisan vote, Bexar County commissioners Tuesday urged Texas lawmakers to expand the state’s Medicaid program and take advantage of federal matching funds under the Affordable Care Act.2014 to 2017, expansion will bring $27.2 billion in federal revenue to Texas for just over $3 billion in state investments,” said [Republican] County Judge Nelson Wolff.

Valley Interfaith leader Rosalie Tristan…spoke of her 55-year-old brother, David Contreras, a husband and father of two. He has a tumor on the back of his head the size of a melon.  He has been told he has to come up with $10,000 in order to see a doctor.  He does not have $10,000.

He has also been told he cannot go to the emergency room of his local hospital until the body tissue bursts. He earns too much to qualify for Medicaid….”

Interfaith groups and Democratic state legislators rallied on the Capitol steps Wednesday in support of expanding Medicaid to impoverished adults, as directed by federal health reform. "We don't want more mothers dying. We don't want to lose more brothers...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Saying that an expansion of Medicaid will help some of the poorest Ohioans, Gov. John Kasich included the much-anticipated announcement in his two-year budget proposal Monday.  Greater Cleveland Congregations, a coalition of 40 religious groups and the lead organizer of the Northeast Ohio Medicaid Expansion Coalition, pledged Monday to do our part to make sure Ohio legislators understand that expanding Medicaid will keep Ohioans€™ tax dollars here in our state, working to help our economy, our health and our state budget.

More than a thousand people filled Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland Thursday to demonstrate widespread community support for Ohio Medicaid expansion. "If people have medical insurance they're more likely to see a doctor, they're more likely to get preventative care, they're going to stay healthier," said Dr. Kristin Englund who came out for the rally. 

I wondered if we were even going to discuss it. And thanks to a Dallas interfaith alliance, I guess we will.

With hardly a peep of protest, it seemed, Gov. Rick Perry told Washington we don’t want its stinkin’ billions of dollars to provide health coverage for more Texans.