Nebraska Appleseed has been working on a new health care initiative to examine options for expanding coverage to the uninsured. According to census data released in August 2007, 11.1% of the people in Nebraska were uninsured over the previous years which represents over 194,000 people.
Nebraska Appleseed believes access to health care is a basic human need. Further, we think that most people in Nebraska subscribe to the common sense ideal that 100% of the people should have health care coverage 100% of the time. There is a good deal of common ground on this issue from which we can begin to craft effective policy options that will lead to real solutions.
Candlelight Vigil 11/19/2009
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Ambulance Tour
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Nebraskans Can’t Wait Any Longer For Health Care Reform
Skyrocketing premiums and out-of-pocket medical costs are battering family budgets in Nebraska and making it more difficult for employers, particularly small and low-wage businesses, to provide health insurance for their workers. Health costs are rising at an
unsustainable rate. Without reform, these costs threaten Nebraska’s state and county budgets, the national economy and every American family.
Comprehensive health reform is needed to set a sustainable path for health care spending, increase the number of Americans with quality, affordable coverage, and make smart health care investments.
Will the U.S. Senate Choose to Make Health Care Affordable for Families in Nebraska?
The U.S. Senate is preparing to debate health care reform legislation. In fashioning the bill that goes to the floor, Senate leaders will be choosing from the two bills that passed the committees of jurisdiction One of the bills will make health care affordable to families; the other bill falls far short. This report explains how that choice will affect families in Nebraska.
in July by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), then chaired by the late Senator Edward Kennedy, largely meets the two key tests of affordability by ensuring that health coverage is affordable both at work and for those without job-based coverage. The legislation passed by the Senate Finance Committee fails both tests. It does not require employers to provide affordable health care coverage, and it leaves a great many families who obtain coverage outside of work with costs that are beyond their means.
Sweet the Bitter Drought: Why Rural America Needs Health Care Reform
Rural America is indeed grappling with a prolonged and pernicious drought, not only the kind that affects crops but the sort that bankrupts family farms, shutters small towns and family businesses, and leaves hardworking loved ones struggling for life-saving care. Yet the health care reform debate has suffered greatly from a false dichotomy that ailing urban poor folks are the main beneficiaries of reform, while the hardy rural middle class is healthy and well-served by the current system. The truth is that rural people and rural communities are faced with many of the same health care challenges confronting the rest of the nation—exploding heath care costs, large numbers of uninsured and underinsured, and an overextended health care infrastructure. In addition, numerous exacerbated health care issues face rural people and places.
In communities from Maine to Montana and everywhere in between, rural Americans know that the current patchwork of unregulated and limited private insurance is failing, and the need for reform is desperate and urgent. Rural Americans are more likely to be underinsured, less likely to have choices in private insurance coverage, and in dire need of the medical services and technology that public health care investment has brought to big cities. The majority of rural Americans are suffering silently in our broken health care system and want change now. James from Union City, Tennessee, put it best: “We’re not screaming, we’re pleading.”
Health Coverage in Nebraska: How Will Health Reform Help?
Health reform is moving forward quickly, and the House stands poised to make an historic vote on America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200). If passed, this bill will dramatically improve the state of health care for our nation as a whole, but even more so for individual states like Nebraska.
How so? Families USA just released a new report titled, “Health Coverage in Nebraska: How Will Health Reform Help?” The report shows how major gaps in Nebraska’s current health coverage system will be addressed and significantly improved by H.R. 3200.
Go here to read the full report
The report covers several major issue areas such as pre-existing conditions, affordable premiums for middle-class families and small businesses, out-of-pocket costs, affordable coverage for Medicare enrollees, and much more. It shows how health care reform will benefit your state and bring about the changes we’ve been waiting for.
Nebraska Recognized for Commitment to Children’s Health Programs
Nebraska was recognized for its strong commitment to children’s health coverage despite a tough economic climate, according to a report released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF).
“Nebraska leaders stood up for the most vulnerable members of our community – our children – during this fiscal crisis by improving access to affordable children’s health coverage,” said Rebecca Gould, Executive Director of Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest.
This spring the Nebraska Legislature increased eligibility for Kids Connection, the state's health insurance program for children, from 185% of the Federal Poverty Level to 200%. The increase means at least 5,400 additional uninsured children will now have access to health care. The law brought Nebraska's eligibility level in line with at least 44 other states.
Health Care Reform Rally - 08/25/2009
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Rally with Nebraska Appleseed, Nebraska Health Care for America Now!, SEIU Nebraska, and many, many concerned Nebraskans
Tell your senators and representatives to "Vote Yes" on Health Reform
Everyone is welcome - Bring your family and signs!
August 25th 6-7pm
State Capitol - steps of the Lincoln statue (west side)
Lincoln, NE
Click the poster image for a printable version
Costly Coverage: Premiums Outpace Paychecks in Nebraska
Over the past decade, the cost of health insurance has skyrocketed, while working
families’ wages have merely inched upward. As the recession lingers on, this situation
continues to worsen. Reduced hours and job losses have left millions of families
struggling to afford their share of premiums and millions more with no coverage at all. The
combination of stagnant wages and rising health care costs is placing a growing strain on family
budgets, and many families have reached a breaking point. Quite simply, Nebraska’s families
are being priced out of health coverage.
A Co-op is Not a Public Option
A proposal being discussed in the Senate would allow for the creation of health care co-ops instead of establishing a new public health insurance plan option. Many important details about this plan are still up in the air. Experience with co-ops suggests they would have no more ability than a good non-profit health plan to enter most local markets, rein in costs, or “compete,” other than through mimicking the behavior of profit-driven plans.
Direct From Main Street: Small Business Views on Health Care and Health Reform
As the national dialogue on health reform unfolds, small businesses are a critical voice that deserves to be heard. Small businesses are the engine of the U.S. economy, creating jobs and delivering essential services; health reform that works for small businesses will help fire that engine and drive economic recovery. As real-life experts on the problems in the current health care system, small business owners have important perspectives on how to solve these problems and make health care work for businesses and the economy. This report focuses on the views and priorities of small business owners on health reform in six states: Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Virginia.
Coverage for America: We All Stand to Gain
Health reform will make coverage secure for every American, bringing stability and peace of mind to millions. We all pay the price when millions of people go without health coverage: premiums are higher, the nation’s economy is less productive, and we cannot rein in health care costs. Everyone therefore has a stake in bringing rising health care costs under control, and ensuring that everyone has coverage will do just that.
Health reform legislation under consideration in the House of Representatives, known as America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, includes measures that will significantly expand access to high-quality, affordable health coverage. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the House bill would add coverage for 23 million Americans in 2013 (the first year of implementation) and 37 million in 2019 (the last year for which the CBO provided data). Without meaningful health reform, the number of uninsured, which is currently about 46 million, would rise to 51 million in 2013 and 54 million in 2019.
Health Care Discrimination Harms Communities of Color in Nebraska
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Rapidly escalating medical costs and insurance premiums, rising numbers of people without coverage, and the bad practices of private insurers that reap huge profits have dominated the Nebraska political dialogue surrounding President Barack Obama’s plans for comprehensive health reform. On Capitol Hill, the American public is witnessing an historic clash of Washington special interest groups fighting to protect their revenue streams. Yet no one has more at stake than the 103 million people of color in the U.S., including the 276,000 in Nebraska. Throughout the nation’s history, communities of color have been forced to accept health care that bears little resemblance to what is experienced by members of more advantaged groups. For people of color in Nebraska and nationwide, life is shorter, chronic illness more prevalent and disability more common. These are predictable side-effects of a health care system that provides these communities in Nebraska with narrower opportunities for regular health services, fewer treatment options and lower-quality care.
Read the Full Report | Press Release | Press Coverage
Health Insurance Coverage in Nebraska Keeps Shrinking as Premiums, Family Costs Continue Climbing
Medical care has become too expensive in Nebraska, leaving 224,689 state residents uninsured and exposed to the catastrophic costs of accidents and illnesses. The economic downturn that began 19 months ago has vaporized 7 million jobs across the U.S. and driven the Nebraska unemployment rate to 4.4 percent from 2.7 percent. More families are finding themselves without health benefits just as the cost of buying coverage on the open market has climbed to record levels. Without meaningful health reform, that number will grow to 42 percent in 2016.
Read the Full Report | Press Release | Press Coverage
Health Care Rally with “Purple Bus Lady” in Omaha!
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The dynamic and wildly popular “Purple Bus Lady” (PBL – www.votehealthcare.org)
visited Omaha as a part of our send off to the 11 Nebraskans flying to
DC to participate in a National Health Care Reform Rally & meet
with Nebraska’s congressional delegation.
The PBL and a large group of Appleseeders and everyday Nebraskans gave the 11 Nebraskans a huge send off with a rally on 72nd & Dodge. Some brought homemade signs, some used ours. Folks driving down Dodge at that time honked and agreed: Nebraskans care about health care reform THIS YEAR!
Nebraska Appleseed Receives 2009 Closing the Gap Award
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Equal Justice, including justice in healthcare, has been a guiding principle of Nebraska Appleseed since its creation in 1996. It is with this core value in mind that Nebraska Appleseed has been a large contributor to the Medical Translation and Interpretation Leadership Group, or MTI, of Lincoln, a project supported with funding from the Community Health Endowment.
CHE recognized Nebraska Appleseed for our dedication to collaboration, commitment to improving healthcare access, and desire to make Lincoln and Nebraska a healthier community for all residents!
Study Shows Urgent Need for Greater Choice in Nebraska's Insurance Market
Lack of competition contributes to rise in costs
Nebraska families are paying more and more for their health insurance because of the lack of competition in the private health insurance market, according to a new report released today by the Health Care for America Now! coalition in Nebraska. Nebraska’s health insurance market is considered to be “highly concentrated” under U.S. Department of Justice guidelines. According to the report, this results in fewer choices for Nebraska consumers and makes it harder for families to afford health care coverage.
Read the Report | Read the Press Release
The 24/7 Project: Nebraskans for Health Care Reform
More videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChangeThatWorksNE
INVESTING IN NEBRASKA’S CHILDREN – LB 136
LB 136 will make necessary improvements to Nebraska’s Kids Connection program and provide health care to more of our low-income children.
SCHIP’S Success:
Effective and Efficient Care for Children
Read the SCHIP's Success Fact Sheet
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE BILL
Senator Nelson Stands With Nebraska’s Children
President Obama signed into law a bill to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). SCHIP is a highly successful program that provides critical health care coverage for children in families who are not eligible for Medicaid but cannot afford private health care coverage. The SCHIP legislation provides increased funding and bonus incentives which will allow Nebraska to not only continue covering the SCHIP-eligible children enrolled in our Kids Connection program, but to improve and strengthen our Kids Connection program. More...
Health Care for America Now is a national grassroots campaign organizing millions of Americans to win a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all. We are grounded in organizations that can mobilize people at work, at home, in their neighborhoods, and online.
Nebraska Appleseed is the lead organization for this program in Nebraska. Nebraska HCAN | HCAN Home
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“Don’t Mask the Truth: Finish the Job” Nebraskans Urge Congress to pass Health Care Reform
Neb. rally for health care reform
Children's Health Hangs In The Balance
Jennifer Carter