Press Conference Held to Keep Health Coverage for all Massachusetts Families

The Affordable Care Today (ACT!!) Coalition hosted a press conference this morning at the State House. Media, law-makers, advocates and other health care leaders packed Room 222 to hear about the importance of maintaining coverage for the 30,000 legal immigrants at risk of being dropped from Commonwealth Care.

Health Care For All Executive Director Amy Whitcomb Slemmer urged the legislature to develop the best possible solution for health coverage for this population in the FY2010 budget. Representatives Cabral and Provost, both health care champions in the legislature, emphasized the critical role community advocates and health care stakeholders have in building support for this issue and influencing the legislative decision-making process. Eva Millona, Executive Director of the Mass. Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) explained that the termination of 30,000 CommCare members would be a huge step backwards for health reform and would undermine the state’s unprecedented achievements.

Lynn Nicholas, CEO of the Mass. Hospital Association spoke about the impact the disruption in Commonwealth Care would have on the health care delivery system. Stripping insurance coverage for thousands would further strain already over-burdened hospitals and providers throughout the state. Michael Curry of the Mass. League of Community Health Centers illustrated the far-reaching effects of CommCare budget cuts throught the experience of a health center patient.  A community health center outreach worker educated an Iraqi refugee and Commonwealth Care member – who had been using the emergency room for all health needs – about the value of primary care providers and how to appropriately access the health care system.

The most compelling voice of the press conference came from Bazlul Wahab, an American citizen whose mother may lose her CommCare coverage. A 63-year old legal immigrant who came to this country from Bangladesh in 2006, Bazlul’s mother has multiple chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes. Bazlul shared that his mother is working well with her physician to manage her health conditions and is worried about the disruption in coverage and consequences for her health.

Reverend Burns Stanfield from the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization closed the press conference by reminding that this is a community issue that affects everyone in the Commonwealth, and asked the Legislature to reaffirm its commitment to providing health coverage to all MA residents.

Seventy-five letters from press conference attendees urging leadership to protect Commonwealth Care coverage for 30,000 Massachusetts residents were delivered to Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Murray after the event. We encourage everyone to get involved.  Please contact your legislators and urge them to preserve health coverage for all families! To learn more click here (and read this post by MIRA on Blue Mass Group) or contact Suzanne Curry at scurry@hcfama.org.
- Catherine Hammons