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Cyndi with her kids

Felicia Burnett's picture
It’s an all hands on deck moment with health care access under direct attack. Tomorrow, MomsRising volunteer, Cyndi, will be on Capitol Hill to testify to Congress about why quality, affordable health care coverage is important to her family and our country:
“Virtually overnight, we went from being a two-income family with no medical expenses to a one-income family with astronomical medical expenses. I remember standing at the mailbox with my tiny baby—she was still under ten pounds at 11 months old—cradled in my arms and opening an envelope from the children’s hospital with a bill inside for $64,000—more than my husband’s annual salary.”
Sad to say: Many members of Congress have ZERO idea of what families like Cyndi’s face in our nation when health emergencies happen. This means that sharing our experiences with members of Congress can be a powerful wake up call for them about the importance of not stripping health care access and protections. Think of this as the: Give Congress a clue project!
 
⟶ Do tell! Access to healthcare is under attack & your voice can make a difference in the fight to protect our health care! Share your experiences and tell us why Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (i.e. access to healthcare) matter to you—and we’ll share a book of these stories with Congress.
 
 
Parents are the most powerful voices we have to help cut through the political rhetoric and get down to what’s most important for our nation’s health care policies. So be sure to click the above link to share why access to healthcare is important to you!
 
What’s the lowdown? We will use these stories to educate our leaders and the public about how essential Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are for families and our economy. Don’t be shy! Now is the exact right time to speak out! Last week, the U.S. House voted to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA)/Trumpcare which would take health insurance coverage away from 24 million people, decimate our nation’s cherished Medicaid program, and gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions. 
 
And this week, U.S. Senate leaders assembled a working group on health care composed of 13 white male senators—hardly creating an atmosphere where diverse viewpoints will be brought forward or considered. Leaving women and people of color out of their decision-making process hurts us all—if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. That’s where sharing your experiences comes in….
 
⟶ We need your voice at the table! Tell us why quality, affordable health care coverage matters for your family. We’ll deliver your stories to Congress! http://action.momsrising.org/survey/healthcare-stories/
 
Some members of Congress are out of touch not only with their constituents, not only with the real families, but also with the foundational principles of what’s made our nation great. People and communities caring about each other and the diversity of our nation are what's made our nation strong, innovative, and prosperous.
 
Healthcare security is integral to our freedom to pursue the American dream. We've come a long way as a nation together, and we’re not turning our backs on each other, or on the American dream.
 
 
Everyone in our nation is directly or indirectly affected by the policies Congress is currently considering. Have you or a family member:
  • Had a ‘pre-existing condition’ like asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure (or even a c-section)?
  • Gotten health insurance coverage through your state’s Marketplace or Medicaid program?
  • Had a major illness or disability that requires frequent medical visits, treatments, or surgeries?
To be clear, the enactment of the AHCA/Trumpcare would be an absolute crisis for our nation, particularly for those who are in vulnerable communities, including: low-income families, people with disabilities, rural communities, and the elderly; with a compounding impact in Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of MomsRising.org.

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