...The Senate's attempt to restructure health care policy will, among other things, wipe out Medicaid expansion, which helps to cover nearly half of our children and makes rural health possible.

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Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) leaders and Nebraska allies convened at the Capitol to call on their congressional representatives to replace the Affordable Care Act before repealing it. Said Mary Spurgeon, "to repeal the ACA without an as-good-as-or-better plan immediately replacing it would be an immoral act against both individual well-being and the common good of this nation."

Referencing Catholic Social Teaching, the Methodist Book of Discipline and Lutheran social statements, Spurgeon announced that OTOC "does not care who is named after," it just needs to be in place before withdrawing currently available healthcare options.

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The morning after an assembly in which hundreds of San Fernando Valley leaders of One LA leveraged commitments from District 3 candidates to ensure sufficient funding for the 'My Health LA' program, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted to invest $6 Million in additional dollars for the program.

One LA estimates that the added funding will expand coverage by 35 to 40 thousand individuals. This victory comes months after the organization identified millions of County dollars that could be used to cover more uninsured people, including undocumented County residents.

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When Santa Cruz County threatened to cut a program that insures just under 1,000 unauthorized children, COPA leaders swung into action, organizing a public action with County Supervisors and testifying at budget hearings to secure $300K in funding, in collaboration with United Way, First 5 and Community Foundation. Leaders additionally secured commitments from Monterey County Supervisors to expand coverage for unauthorized residents and publicize expanded services in Spanish.

Plan to Save Santa Cruz County's Healthy Kids in Place, Santa Cruz Sentinel

Building on a program they created 7 years ago to provide emergency shelter for Marin residents during winter months, 250 MOC leaders succeeded in persuading both leading candidates for Marin County District 1 Supervisor to commit to finding money to expand the program to year round. Candidates Susan Adams and Damon Connolly both said yes to the crowd gathered at Congregation Rodef Sholom.

The Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (REST) program operates during five winter months each year, housing and feeding 40 men at rotating congregations -- as well as 20 women housed at the County Wellness Center and served by congregations.

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Testifying before the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, COPA leader Elsa Quezada called for a County strategy to educate undocumented and uninsured Monterey residents about newly available healthcare services. "They are our neighbors, our friends, they go to church with us, they join us at the park, the rodeo...their children go to school with our children," she argued.

At COPA's urging, the Board approved the creation of a strategic plan and simplified "access point document" to better spread the word about healthcare access to the uninsured; both are to be produced within 90 days.

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After identifying $11 million in otherwise sunsetting County funds, One LA-IAF leaders testified to the Board of Supervisors about their year long enrollment effort and the the gaps that remain even after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act -- gaps that will have serious consequences for families throughout the county.

They demanded that the $11M be used to help cover the remaining uninsured in LA County. After the press conference, Rabbi Dara Frimmer asserted that she was "proud to stand with OneLA leaders outside the county supervisors meeting because as of today, 1 million residents of LA remain uninsured...Time to ensure that the image of God, imprinted on the face of every human being, is lifted up."

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"Diane Vanette, a volunteer with OneLA who screens people at Obamacare enrollment events, recently informed a couple with deferred-action status that they were both eligible for Medi-Cal. "He was shocked, she was shocked," Vanette said.

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Since last year's victory in busting through political blockage to resurrect the Low Income Health Plan, Viacare, over 3,000 Monterey County residents have enrolled, doubling last year's projections. In addition to this, and in partnership with the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, COPA institutions reached over 2500 people through civic academies about the Affordable Care Act.

County Extends Health Insurance Bridge Program, Obamacare Enrollment Kicks In, Monterey County Weekly

With multi-colored packets in hand and plans for five subsequent enrollment workshops calendared, Dallas Area Interfaith leaders paused to welcome President Obama at Temple Emanu-El Wednesday evening. Obama thanked those gathered saying "there's no state that actually needs this more than Texas."

Months prior to the Presidential visit, institutional leaders of Dallas Area Interfaith raised $20,000 to produce 100,000 copies of a multi-colored, bilingual booklet designed to educate uninsured residents about how the Affordable Care Act works. Civic academies, held in church sanctuaries and school cafeterias, have so far reached 1,600 North Texas residents, sometimes as many as 200 at a time. Leaders are learning that many people require basic education about how health insurance works with questions like "what is a deductible?" commonly raised.

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