Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Given some of the important events that have taken place recently with respect to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), AAHD would like to take the opportunity to highlight some opportunities for advocacy.
AAHD firmly believes that the ACA was an important step forward for people with disabilities in providing greater access to health insurance coverage. Last month, we released a statement calling on Congress and the new administration to responsibly address health care reform and not remove vital protections which the ACA provided for people with disabilities. To read the AAHD full statement, click here. As part of our National Disability Navigator Resource Collaborative (NDNRC) project, we also further outlined those eight vital protections provided by the ACA which we believe should be made part of any ACA replacement plan. To read the NDNRC statement, click here.
If you would like to join our efforts in supporting these important protections provided by the ACA, here are some recommended activities you can take.
- Call or Fax your Representative/Senator. You can use this toll-free number: 866-426-2631. This number is provided by SEIU. Once you call-in, you will be given a brief overview and then be asked to enter your zip code at which point you will be transferred to your member of Congress. If you prefer to fax your member of Congress, faxzero.com has links available to fax members of the House or Senators. Below are some things you can use as talking points when you reach your member of Congress:
- Urge them to vote against any bill to repeal the ACA (even with a delayed effective date) before replacing it with another law that will maintain or improve access to affordable and comprehensive health insurance and services.
- Explain what the ACA means for you. Here are a few issues with an appropriate statement to highlight that particular ACA protection:
- Pre-Existing Conditions: “I have a pre-existing condition and am concerned that an ACA repeal would mean I could be denied coverage or charged a higher premium.”
- Essential Health Benefits: “I have greater access to services as my health insurance plan has comprehensive benefits which I could lose if the ACA is repealed.”
- Medicaid Expansion: “I rely on the Medicaid expansion for health insurance and am concerned that I would lose my coverage if the ACA is repealed.”
- Lifetime Monetary Caps: “Given my significant health care needs, I am concerned that an ACA repeal would mean that insurance companies could limit the amount they have to spend on my care.”
- Use Social Media. Below are some sample tweets that you can use to highlight the important protections provided by the ACA:
- Do you have one of the following pre-existing conditions? Congress wants to let insurers charge you more for healthcare #ProtectOurCare (click here to download pre-existing condition graphic)
- If Congress wants to protect people with pre-existing conditions they should leave the #ACA alone #ProtectOurCare
- American Journal of Public Health examines effect Medicaid expansion has on people w/ disabilities. #ProtectOurCare http://buff.ly/2k9iVKm
Karl D. Cooper
Director of Public Health Programs
American Association on Health & Disability
110 N. Washington Street, Suite 328-J
Rockville, MD 20850
301-545-6140 x204
kcooper@aahd.us