[Pacg] URGE THE IOWA HOUSE TO PASS HISTORIC CHILDREN’S HEALTH BILL

[Carolina 1961]

*IOWA ACTION ALERT: *
*Friends of Progressive Action for the Common Good
*
From:  Karen Metcalf, Co-Facilitator, PACG Health Care Reform Forum

Please read the message below from our good friend Charlie Wishman at Iowa
Citizen Action Network.  Not only is he helping to lobby for expanded health
care coverage in Iowa, but he is also helping head up a coalition of
organizations called Iowa Health Care for All, which supports legislation
that will expand, as soon as possible, access to adequate and affordable
health car coverage for all Iowans.  Progressive Action for the Common Good
is a member of that coalition.

Now is the time to call your Iowa House Representative and ask him or her to
support HF2539, as amended by the Senate.

It is our understanding that Jamie Van Fossen is a key legislator who
has not yet made a decision, pending feedback from his constituents...
please weigh in!!
THANKS!!

Karen

_________________________________________________________

*ACTION ALERT:* *URGE THE IOWA HOUSE TO PASS HISTORIC CHILDREN'S HEALTH BILL
(HF 2539)
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Iowa Citizen Action Network has been talking to you about expanding
children's health insurance at the federal level with the program SCHIP.
We've been fighting for reauthorization of that for over a year now, and
there is still work to do.

But on the state level, we've had an historic opportunity arise this
legislative session.  Last night, the Iowa Senate voted 44-6 to expand
children's health insurance in a wide ranging health reform bill.  Such
incredible bi-partisan support from both parties, including from the
parties' leadership, shows the importance of this legislation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*WHAT DOES THIS BILL DO?*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This bill is a broad health reform bill that addresses issues even beyond
coverage for kids.  New initiatives have been added to this bill to
encourage Iowans to utilize medical homes, improve management of chronic
diseases, expand information and technology in health care, as well as more
promote more transparency in medical system.  These are all steps that have
shown the possibility of reducing costs in the health care system, and we
believe they are positive steps.

This children's coverage in this bill is important as well.  Not only does
the legislature put its money where its mouth is on this bill by adding $25
million over three years, it also lays out ways for the state to do this
effectively.  Advocates like ICAN and their allies were able to find best
practices in other states that have proven effective in enrolling kids.
This is a giant step forward for Iowa.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*CALL YOUR HOUSE MEMBER NOW:*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please contact your Iowa House member and urge them to pass HF2539 as
amended by the Senate.

*Messages:*
·        I support HF 2539, as passed by the Senate, which builds upon the
excellent work of the House.

*The bill builds on the House bill in these ways:
*- Covering more kids and creating a plan with specific steps to do so
- Expands options for adults to purchase coverage
- Improves health care for Iowans through chronic care management,
medical    homes, transparency, wellness and prevention
- Examines issues related to the health and long-term care work force

*·        This is a vitally important bill, because it commits actual
resources to get these things done.*

Our friends at AARP have allowed us to use the following toll-free call in
number.  You will be directed to your legislator after following the prompts
to enter your zip code.

*Don't Let Our Chance for Health Care Reform Pass Us By!
Call 1-800-668-4285 TODAY!
*
*Please let us know if you took action, and if so, what response you got*.
Feel free to pass on your response to cwishman at iowacan.org or at
515-277-5077 x 15.




-- 
Caroline Vernon
Organizer
Progressive Action for the Common Good
carolina1961 at gmail.com
563-676-7580
www.qcprogressiveaction.org

"Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved through
understanding." - Albert Einstein
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