Legislative Update
Medicare Dental Bill Introduced – How it Could Affect Virginians
Earlier this month Maryland Senator Ben Cardin introduced The Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2019 that will, if enacted, add a dental benefit in Medicare Part B. This is a terrific policy step to help ensure Medicare beneficiaries have equitable access to comprehensive care. As a federal program, Medicare provides medical coverage and pharmacy services…
Read MoreWhy the Census Matters for Health Care
loading… In 2020 the federal government will count the roughly 330 million people in the United States (US) through the census, a tally that is mandated by the Constitution. The census occurs every ten years and requires every resident in the US to complete forms that detail household size, income, and other demographic details. The…
Read MoreHow Proposed Changes to Public Charge Will Affect Health Utilization
loading… Earlier this year, the Trump administration released a draft of planned policy changes that would expand the criteria used to consider a person a potential “public charge.” The proposed changes are already causing some Virginia immigrants to forgo using public health programs for fear this may jeopardize their immigration status. Given the impact on…
Read MoreMedicaid Expansion Deliberations Extend to Next Week
loading… When the Senate met yesterday there were a series of somewhat dramatic floor speeches, both pro and con Medicaid Expansion, but there was no vote on the proposed budget compromise which would expand the states Medicaid program to nearly 400,00 Virginians. Senate Republican leaders used a procedural motion to delay budget consideration by the…
Read MoreA State of Decay Report Underscores Need for Advocacy, Community Engagement in Virginia
loading… Oral Health America’s (OHA) national report A State of Decay, Vol. IV examines key indicators that impact the oral health of older adults in all states. Virginia narrowly earned a “Good” rating with a 70% score, putting us 11th in the nation for our efforts to improve oral health in seniors. With 1.35 million…
Read MoreSign-on to Support an Adult Medicaid Dental Benefit
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Read MoreCHIP Funding Still in Limbo
loading… Congress has not renewed federal funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), known as FAMIS and FAMIS MOMS in Virginia. If Congress does not renew CHIP funding prior to January 31, 2018, the state will end the program and thousands of children and pregnant women in Virginia will lose affordable medical, dental, and mental health coverage.…
Read MoreALERT: Tell Senators to Protect Our Care
loading… The U.S. Senate intends to vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and gut Medicaid next week. The repeal legislation will cause millions of Americans to lose their health coverage and set in motion devastating cuts to Medicaid. There are several ways you can help protect health care for vulnerable…
Read MoreThe American Health Care Act Passes the House – What Happens Next?
loading… Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 217 to 213 to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA). All Democratic Representatives and twenty Republicans opposed the bill; northern Virginia Representative Barbara Comstock was the only Virginia Republican to vote “no.” What does the bill do? A few highlights: * Repeals Taxes. Eliminates almost $900 billion…
Read MoreNew Amendments to the American Health Care Act Threaten Coverage and Protections
loading… ALERT: New Amendments to American Health Care Act Harm People with Pre-existing Conditions, Speed Cuts to Medicaid and Fail to Cover Critical Health Services The House could vote as early as Friday on the American Health Care Act with new amendments that further strip away coverage and protections for Americans. The House Freedom Caucus agreed…
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