AcademyHealth Stateside - 04/18/2006  (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
 Massachusetts Passes Landmark Bill
 Tennessee Governor Proposes New Health Care Reforms
 Insure Montana
 West Virginia Enacts Health Reform Bill
 Wyoming Seeks New HIFA Waiver
 Update on Federal Activities
 Cover the Uninsured Week 2006 Highlights State and Local Health Care Strategies
 Save the Date: SCI Summer Meeting
 State Health Research and Policy Interest Group Activities
 Reports of Interest

Cover the Uninsured Week 2006 Highlights State and Local Health Care Strategies

Health and enrollment fairs, business events, campus activities and interfaith events will take place in all 50 states and the District of Columbia during and leading up to Cover the Uninsured Week, May 1–7, 2006. This year, thousands of individuals and organizations from all sectors of society will join together to tell Congress that health care coverage must be a critical priority.

State Coverage Initiatives is working with Cover the Uninsured Week to identify strategies in states and communities to help cover some of the millions without health insurance. Representatives from these communities will come to Washington, D.C. for a briefing to discuss successes and the lessons learned from their various health coverage strategies and to encourage our nation’s leaders to find national solutions.

“While community and state leaders are doing what they can to help those living without health insurance, this is a national problem that demands national solutions,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “With no comprehensive national solutions on the immediate horizon, all Americans—regardless of their insurance status—need to get involved and make their opinion count. Most Americans, whether insured or uninsured, are concerned about the rising costs of health care, empathize with the millions among us who have no coverage, and recognize that they too could one day find themselves without health insurance. We all need to add our voices to share our concern about this urgent issue.”

Organizers of Cover the Uninsured Week—the largest campaign in history to focus attention on the need to secure health coverage for Americans—will encourage people from all walks of life to talk with their friends and neighbors and get involved. At www.CoverTheUninsured.org, individuals can express their concern by instantly sending an e-mail to their members of Congress. The Web site also links to the State Coverage Initiative’s state-by-state breakdown of local coverage strategies.

Cover the Uninsured Week 2006 builds on a tremendous record of activity. In 2005 alone, more than 2,200 events were held during the Week, supported by nearly 200 national organizations and more than 2,500 local organizations from in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 150 elected officials, representing both political parties, marked the Week with speeches on Capitol Hill, letters to the editor, proclamations, community forums and more.

For more information, log on to www.CoverTheUninsured.org.