HB115 is expected to come before the NC House for a vote on Wed, May 25, 2011. HB115 establishes the Health Benefits Exchange (where individuals and small businesses in need of health insurance can purchase it). Unfortunately, this bill leaves those currently in charge of our broken health care system in charge of this Exchange. A call or email to your state representative before Wednesday noon to express your opposition to HB115 could help lead to needed improvements in this bill.
Citizens for Responsible Health Care can provide more information about this bill.
If you need contact information for your representative, go to the North Carolina General Assembly website.
In addition, our friends at Faithful Reform in Health Care are strongly encouraging people of faith to contact their U.S. House of Representative member to support preservation of the Medicaid system. What they need to hear is that we oppose cuts to Medicaid that will leave low-income persons without access to needed health care services.
Recent information on potential changes to Medicaid can be found here:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report, “Medicaid Block Grant or Funding Caps Would Shift Costs to States, Beneficiaries, and Providers”
Kaiser report, “House Republican Budget Plan: State-By-State Impact of Changes in Medicaid Financing”
Center for Law and Social Policy, by Elizabeth Lower-Basch, “Lessons from TANF'”
— Sandy Irving, Volunteer for Health Care Reform
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