Medicaid Unwinding & Vaccination Woes
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Medicaid Unwinding - Not Getting Better
Medicaid was expanded to cover people up to 1.4 x the federal poverty limit during the pandemic. Last March the pandemic ended (so they say) and recipients had to re-enroll. The process of removing those no longer eligible is called unwinding.
According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis in December of 2023, 13.4 million people have lost their Medicaid health insurance. Many of those that lost coverage are children. The graph below is also in that analysis.
In the graph above you can see that Texas leads the pack, dis-enrolling 1.7 million and Florida dis-enrolled 1.1 million. Worse yet 71% of those dis-enrolled were for procedural reasons, such as lost or incomplete paperwork. Wait, it gets worse, 2.48 million of the dis-enrolled were children (37%). Part of the problem is that even with government subsidies to buy an ACA plan many of these people can’t afford it. We are talking of people that exist at 1.4 x the federal poverty limit (that’s about $10/hr).
Look, the expansion of Medicaid has been shown to actually increase state coffers, not deplete them. Part of the reason is that treating more people creates jobs and the cost to the state is really low to add new people due to the federal funding arrangements. We have covered this before and here is a link to the analysis done by the Commonwealth Fund on the subject.
You already know what the answer is - Universal Healthcare. Then states won’t feel obligated to take healthcare away from 2.5 million children. Wow I bet that feels good!
Remember that Universal Healthcare has been shown to cost the US far less than what we pay now according to multiple non partisan Congressional Budget Office reports. Here is a link to the 2022 report indicating positive economic impact (big surprise). While I’m thinking of it I will remind my member of Congress and my Senators that Universal Healthcare, like HR 3421, will provides medical coverage for all of us, cost our country far less, increases life span, and increase personal income.
ACTION
Congress is coming back into session and I know they are busy with so many critical topics like funding the government. Let’s remind them that they can improve all of our lives, by enacting universal healthcare. Their contact info is in the Resources section.
Or use RESISTBOT to send the email below by texting SIGN PQAHLR on your cell phone to 50409.
“I am your constituent and I just learned that according to the Kaiser Family Foundation - December 2023) the number of people removed from Medicaid is now over 13 million and 71% of those were for paperwork or other procedural errors - that’s about 9 million of us. Almost 2.5 million of those that were dis-enrolled were children.
Good news - you can fix it by enacting a universal healthcare system, like HR 3421, that will cover all of us, cradle to grave, cost the US less, increase life span and increase personal spending. Here is my evidence, the CBO report from 2022 on Universal Healthcare, https://www.cbo.gov/publication/57637. Please read it, have your staff read it and then support it.”
Florida - Where Truth Comes to Die
The surgeon general in Florida has decided that debunked conspiracy theories make good public policy - He is so wrong. Here is a link to the full story.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo is calling for an end to using modified RNA vaccines to fight COVID variants because they change people’s genetic structure. I can’t conjecture as to motive for this Republican disinformation campaign, but we have seen the death rate from COVID skyrocket in Republican anti-vax states far beyond what it is in other locations.
I’m not sure what to say other than ignore this nonsense and make sure you’re vaccinated. I just heard that in Oregon, my neighbor state, flu and COVID cases are up 30%.
In Other Vaccine News
Where I live, in the Pacific Northwest, we had a measles outbreak a few years ago because parents decided that vaccination was dangerous. It isn’t. Somehow they forgot that measles can cause death.
Now, the Suffolk County Department of Health in New York is sounding the alarm on a whooping cough outbreak happening throughout school districts in the region, it detailed in a press release Saturday. ..."With so many respiratory illnesses currently circulating, some for which there are no treatment, we wanted to make sure that parents know that pertussis, also called whooping cough, can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early," Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said in the release.
The CDC recommends whooping cough vaccination for all babies and children, preteens, and pregnant women. Adults who have never received one should also get a Tdap shot. Talk with your or your child's doctor if you have questions about whooping cough vaccines and make sure you’re covered.
Insulin Costs Lower for More People
According to USA Today, a price cap on insulin from one of the three major manufacturers took effect on New Year's Day, giving more Americans with diabetes more affordable treatments. As of Jan. 1, 2024, Sanofi cut the price of Lantus by 78% and short-acting Apidra by 70%. The price cuts will reduce the cost of the drug for most patients to $35 through either price caps or savings programs.
Good start but remember that with Universal Healthcare we negotiate every drug price for we the people. Remember that 500 drugs are increasing in price this month to counteract lower negotiated government prices on 10 drugs in 2026.
RESOURCES
Healthcare Advocacy (Us)
Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare
Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Find My Elected Officials
Contact the White House https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Contact State and Federal Representatives
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
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
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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