Cardiac Repair; The ACA & DACA; Letting Medicaid Pay For Tax Breaks for The Wealthy
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A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
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New Gene Therapy Reverses Heart Failure in Large Animal Model
A new gene therapy can reverse the effects of heart failure and restore heart function in a large animal model. The therapy increases the amount of blood the heart can pump and dramatically improves survival, in what a paper describing the results calls “an unprecedented recovery of cardiac function.”
Currently, heart failure is irreversible. In the absence of a heart transplant, most medical treatments aim to reduce the stress on the heart and slow the progression of the often-deadly disease. But if this gene therapy shows similar results in future clinical trials, it could help heal the hearts of the 1 in 4 people alive today who will eventually develop heart failure. The results are published in npj Regenerative Medicine.
Indeed, the gene therapy seemed to improve heart function on the microscopic level, with better-organized heart cells and proteins. The researchers hope that cBIN1’s role as a master regulator of heart cell architecture could help cBIN1 gene therapy succeed and introduce a new paradigm of heart failure treatment that targets heart muscle itself. (University of Utah)
Biased Judge Denies DACA Access to ACA in 19 States
A federal judge in North Dakota has ruled in favor of 19 states that challenged a Biden administration rule allowing — for the first time — enrollment in Affordable Care Act coverage by people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork, known as “Dreamers.” The move effectively bars those who have qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in those 19 states from enrolling in or getting subsidies for ACA plans. It does not appear to affect enrollment or coverage in other states, lawyers following the case said Tuesday.
States challenging the ACA rule say it will cause administrative and resource burdens as more people enroll, and that it will encourage additional people to remain in the U.S. when they don’t have permanent legal authorization. In addition to Kansas and North Dakota, the states that joined the lawsuit are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
GRAND TOTAL NATIONWIDE IT IS NO MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE. I CALL BS.
U.S District Judge Daniel Traynor, who was appointed in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump, noted in his Monday ruling that the plaintiffs were likely to win on the merits of their argument. SOUNDS LIKE BIAS TO ME. (KFF)
Taxes And Healthcare
$4.6 trillion. That’s how much money extending the 2017 tax law would add to the deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. How do Congressional Republicans plan on offsetting those costs? By taking away health care from millions by making draconian cuts to Medicaid.
Portions of the 2017 Trump tax legislation expire in December 2025 and Republicans have long wanted to extend their tax scam or even expand it. While they plan to give trillions of dollars in additional tax cuts to the rich and corporations, they also plan to cut funding for Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), and other social safety net programs that millions of people rely on for support. Nearly 80 million people are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)―and health care for millions is under attack.
We know this is the plan because Project 2025, the Republican Study Committee proposed budget for FY2025, and many House and Senate Republican leaders are calling for severe cuts to Medicaid.
According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, making the tax cuts permanent would cost $288.5 billion in the first year, with 63% of it going to the top 20% of earners and only 1% to the poorest 5th of Americans. We cannot allow Congress to pay for these tax breaks by taking health care away from millions.
Severely cutting Medicaid funding would jeopardize health and even cost lives. Congress must do everything in its power to stop this unscrupulous attack on Medicaid and other human needs programs.
ACTION
Let’s let our member of Congress and senators know that bankrupting Medicaid to give money to the wealthy is just wrong. You can call/email them and let them know. Here is their contact info, https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Or on your cell phone you can text SIGN PJEIJW to 50409 (RESISTBOT) to send the message below. If it is the first time you’re using RESISTBOT it will ask for your name, address, phone number and email to make sure it locates your elected officials correctly.
Here is the message you’ll send.
“As your constituent, I am urging you to reject any proposal that calls for making cuts to Medicaid, including turning it into a block grant or other funding caps or restrictions. Slashing Medicaid to pay for the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act or other tax provisions is totally unacceptable.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would add $4.6 trillion to the deficit. The majority of the benefits of the tax plan would go to the wealthiest 20% of Americans while the bottom 5th would receive just 1%.
We cannot keep allowing the passage of these unfair tax policies that disproportionately benefit the wealthy while making low-income and vulnerable communities suffer -- including by taking health care away from millions. That’s not good for our society or economy. I urge you to reject cuts or changes to Medicaid that will take away health coverage or make it cost more.
Thank you.”
RESOURCES
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All, Physicians for a National Health Program, One Payer States, Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision, Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Library of Advice, Specific Advice
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
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And if health care benefits to people get cut, we have to follow up with them and get them to vote for their interests moving forward. Oppressing those most in need has to have consequences!