Urgent Action: Close the Gap in Healthcare Coverage in Virginia

[jus...@stcharleschurch.org]

Advocate to Close the Gap in Healthcare Coverage in Virginia

WHY 

• 195,000 Virginians are currently falling into the "gap" between an income level low enough to qualify for Medicaid in Virginia under current law and an income level high enough to qualify for tax credits for purchasing private insurance. 

• 200,000 additional Virginians who are currently without health insurance would also benefit from closing the coverage gap.
  

• Virginia's hospitals support closing the coverage gap.
  

• Arguments against closing the coverage gap are spurious: 

• "We don't want to take federal funds" . . . for healthcare. Federal money for transportation? No problem.
  

• "We can't trust the federal government to keep its end of the bargain (funding 100% of coverage expansion through 2016, then gradually reducing the federal contribution to no less than 90% of the cost)." . . . States that close the coverage gap can return to their original coverage limits at any time. Plus, how much sense does it make to refuse money for one year on the grounds that you might not get the same amount of money the next year?

HOW

1. Copy and paste the following text into a blank email.

Dear Delegate,

 

I urge you to vote in favor of closing the healthcare coverage gap in Virginia. We cannot afford double-taxation to pay for our healthcare system. We need to take back our federal tax dollars and ensure that 400,000 in-need Virginians have access to basic healthcare. 

Closing the coverage gap will:

       Provide life-saving healthcare to the 400,000 currently uninsured Virginians

       Make health care available to 12,300 veterans living in Virginia

       Create 30,000 new jobs for Virginians


        Recover $5 million in federal tax dollars every day, allowing the legislature to fund other key priorities like education, economic development, and foster care programs


        Stop taxing Virginians twice on the healthcare for which we already pay


        Keep hospitals from having to absorb the costs of the uninsured – causing some hospitals, especially those in rural areas, to close

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely, 

[Your Name]

2. Copy and paste the following addresses into the Blind Copy field of the email.

DelC...@house.virginia.gov, DelGH...@house.virginia.gov,  DelCH...@house.virginia.gov, DelDH...@house.virginia.gov,  DelKH...@house.virginia.gov, DelP...@house.virginia.gov, DelAH...@house.virginia.gov, delwh...@house.virginia.gov, DelT...@house.virginia.gov, DelRI...@house.virginia.gov, DelM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJJ...@house.virginia.gov, DelC...@house.virginia.gov, DelM...@house.virginia.gov, DelTK...@house.virginia.gov, DelBK...@house.virginia.gov, DelK...@house.virginia.gov, DelRKr...@house.virginia.gov, DelSL...@house.virginia.gov, DelDL...@house.virginia.gov, DelJLe...@house.virginia.gov, DelJLe...@house.virginia.gov, DelSLing...@house.virginia.gov, DelA...@house.virginia.gov, DelMLo...@house.virginia.gov, DelDMa...@house.virginia.gov, DelBMa...@house.virginia.gov, DelM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJMc...@house.virginia.gov, DelDM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJM...@house.virginia.gov, DelRM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJMo...@house.virginia.gov, DelRM...@house.virginia.gov, DelJMo...@house.virginia.gov, DelJO...@house.virginia.gov, delio...@house.virginia.gov, DelBO...@house.virginia.gov, DelC...@house.virginia.gov, DelK...@house.virginia.gov, DelB...@house.virginia.gov, DelCPoi...@house.virginia.gov, DelDR...@house.virginia.gov, DelMR...@house.virginia.gov, DelSR...@house.virginia.gov, DelRRo...@house.virginia.gov, DelN...@house.virginia.gov, DelT...@house.virginia.gov, DelE...@house.virginia.gov, DelMS...@house.virginia.gov, DelM...@house.virginia.gov, DelLS...@house.virginia.gov, DelCS...@house.virginia.gov, DelSSu...@house.virginia.gov, DelST...@house.virginia.gov, DelLT...@house.virginia.gov, DelDT...@house.virginia.gov, DelR...@house.virginia.gov, DelRVil...@house.virginia.gov, DelJ...@house.virginia.gov, DelL...@house.virginia.gov, DelV...@house.virginia.gov, DelMW...@house.virginia.gov, DelT...@house.virginia.gov, DelTW...@house.virginia.gov, DelDY...@house.virginia.gov, DelJ...@house.virginia.gov

3. Add a subject, e.g. Please close the coverage gap!

4. Send your email.

You will email ALL the members of the Virginia House of Delegates, not just the delegate who represents your district. At this point, it is important to email the whole House because the House is the major obstacle in closing the coverage gap.

Thank you for your advocacy.