| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 12, 2021 |
PRESS CONTACT Claire Murchison claire@firesidecampaigns.com |
Health Care Voices Founder Laura Packard Releases Statement Commending Medicaid Fallback Bill Introduced by Sen. Warnock (D-GA)
DENVER — Today, Health Care Voices Founder and health care advocate Laura Packard released a statement commending Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) for introducing the Medicaid Saves Lives Act; legislation that comes not a moment too soon for un- and underinsured Americans in the 12 holdout states and in Missouri, which refuses to implement the Medicaid expansion its citizens voted for.
Despite the fiscal incentives offered to encourage unwilling states to expand Medicaid, legislators in AL, FL, GA, KS, MS, NC, SC, SD, TN, TX, WI and WY have yet to take advantage of federal funds to protect their constituents’ health.
To remedy the reticence of holdout states, the Medicaid fallback bill would cover all Americans eligible for Medicaid expansion in non-expansion states. If enacted, the bill will create a federal Medicaid look-alike program—run through CMS—that would contain all the robust benefits, like access to preventative care and out of pocket maximums for treatment, that are available to Americans residing in states that expanded Medicaid through the ACA.
“After holdout states refused to expand their Medicaid programs for low income citizens under the ACA, it’s incredibly clear that the federal government needs to step in. For the more than two million Americans denied health coverage amid a deadly global pandemic, Senator Warnock’s Medicaid Saves Lives Act couldn’t be more timely,” said Health Care Voices Founder Laura Packard.
“Every American deserves health care. The Medicaid Fallback Bill finally makes it possible for millions of low income Americans, particularly essential workers, parents caring for children, older and younger adults, and people of color to enroll in affordable health insurance; an option that can make the difference between life and death.”
Founded after the health care fights of 2017, Health Care Voices is an independent grassroots group of health care advocates organizing adults with serious medical conditions for affordable comprehensive health care, fighting the high cost of prescription drugs, and making our health care system work better for all.
###