HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE
- Leader Griffin Stoss griffin.stoss@gmail.com
Many of us agreed to become active and protect our community from the Trump/ Musk Healthcare agenda.
We will be focused on maintaining Medicaid and opposing state budget cuts to Health Care. Our primary concerns are maintaining reproductive Healthcare for all, especially individuals in the LGBTQ community.
FRIDAY, April 18, 6 PM, in the Hearth Room at Unity Center, 3918 San Juan Avenue
ACTION ITEMS as of Mar. 28 committee meeting - Regarding Medicare for All in Washington State - There is an organization called Whole Washington that is dedicated to this issue. Rather than reinvent the wheel, if this is something the group decides we want to work on, we can look to this organization. If you have an opinion on this or want to track this, please bring that to the group’s attention. Other health-related issue workgroups: Abortion/Birth Control, Medicare/Medicaid, Veteran’s Healthcare, Trans Healthcare.
Write to your friends and family in Republican-led states and districts
Contact someone you know in a Republican-led district and ask them to reach out to their representative to save Medicaid. Friend, relative, anyone. This person may not know how important Medicaid is, but you can send them the information, and include anything personal that would help explain the importance (for example: “our cousin Jane Doe used Medicaid for her last three pregnancies” or “Medicaid pays to send our friend John Doe’s child with disabilities to school.”)
Here is a sample letter you can send to this person, with a sample letter for them to send to their representative. Feel free to add any personalizing details or change anything you think needs to be changed. You can also look up their representatives for them if you know their address, or include info specific to their state.
Sample letter to friend/family:
Hello [add name],
I am writing to you to ask you to do something. I know this is a little unusual, but I am very concerned about this and I am reaching out to in the hope that you may be willing to help.
Politicians in Congress are working on a budget framework called a “Budget Resolution” that would lead to massive cuts to Medicaid.
There are 70 million people currently enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid provides healthcare to over 40 percent of pregnant women in the U.S. and supports 15 million adults with disabilities. It allows disabled people to live and work in their communities and supports millions of seniors in nursing homes and children with disabilities in schools.
My representatives are going to vote to save Medicaid, but I don’t think yours are currently planning to. We may agree or disagree on a lot of different issues, but I think Medicaid is so important that it is bigger than all of that.
Your state [insert state] will really be affected if Medicaid is cut. See these fact sheets: https://www.kff.org/interactive/medicaid-state-fact-sheets/
Would you consider sending a message to your representatives?
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Here is a sample letter you can send:
Dear [Representative]
As your constituent, I am urging you to say no to any cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary source of health care for millions of people in this country, and also serves as a critical safety net to keep people with disabilities in their homes and communities and out of abusive institutions. These cuts would harm every single one of these lives – especially women, families, disabled adults, seniors, and children with disabilities in schools.
Medicaid is a critical program that saves the lives and safeguards the health of millions. It not only allows millions of people with disabilities to live independently – to get out of bed, go to work, and live in the community instead of an institution – but also provides maternity care and covers nearly half of all births in the U.S.
Medicaid enables individuals to participate in the economic, social, and civic life of the nation. These cuts would have national consequences for all of us. Please, say no to any cuts and save Medicaid now.
Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]