Eleven months after leveraging enough votes across the state to expand Medicaid in Nebraska, state legislators have manufactured delays and complications hindering its implementation.  In response, OTOC leaders and allies traveled to the Capitol to call on legislators to "honor the vote" and fulfill the will of Nebraskan voters. 

At a press conference outside, OTOC leader Dr. Carol LaCroix, a family physician, questioned why the governor’s administration was erecting barriers to care and significantly delaying implementation of expansion.  In the hearing itself, OTOC leader Mary Spurgeon (photo above) itemized the harm done by failing to expand Medicaid for the seventh year, pointing out that the altering of the law, passed as Initiative 427, constituted a failure by the governor and legislators to carry out constitutional duties. 

Following the hearing, OTOC leaders delivered copies of their testimony to the governor and senators.  Leaders are now urging constituents to contact their senators on this issue. 

OTOC Leaders Testify Against Delays and Complications of Medicaid, Omaha Together One Community

On a dark Wednesday evening, 500 leaders from Nevadans for the Common Good lit up the gym at West Prep Academy and assembled to secure commitments from federal, gubernatorial, and state candidates at a nonpartisan accountability assembly at West Prep Academy. 

With pressure from leaders, candidates committed to work with NCG to increase affordable housing units, invest in public education, increase funding for FQHCs, protect Medicaid expansion, shine a light upon delays in the citizenship process, and create a database to protect consumers from predatory payday lending.

During the forum, leaders shared their personal experiences including on healthcare.  NCG leader Taj Ainlay testified that qualifying for Medicaid enabled him to see a doctor “for the first time in seven years.”  Agatha Ramirez shared that it took her five months to become a US citizen and that it had taken her brother-in-law nineteen months and counting.

Among the candidates who attended were gubernatorial candidate Steve Sisolak (D), senatorial candidate Jacky Rosen (D), congressional candidates Steven Horsford (D), Susie Lee (D), Danny Tarkanian (R), and Representative Dina Titus (D).

Candidates Asked Views on Pressing Issues at Las Vegas Forum, Las Vegas Review-Journal [pdf]

Tarkanian, Lee Sole Congressional Opponents at Wide-Ranging Candidates Forum, Las Vegas Sun [pdf]

After 2017 Shortcomings, Advocates Prepare to Push for New Consumer Protections on Payday Loans, Nevada Independent [pdf]

650 NCG leaders packed the house at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church for a nonpartisan accountability assembly with three gubernatorial candidates. Leaders succeeded in leveraging bipartisan commitments from all three to protect Medicaid, invest new tax revenue into education and more.

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In front of 400 leaders assembled at Mt. Zion First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Together Louisiana leader Rev. Theron Jackson of Shreveport laid out the source of the state's budget shortfall (corporate exemptions and lower income taxes on the wealthy), referred to the reliance on sales taxes as "the big swap" and bluntly stated, "This calls for righteous indignation."

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Fulfilling a second campaign promise to Together Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards met with 33 leaders assembled from across the state to address the $3 billion projected budget deficit left behind by his predecessor. The first promise -- to enact Medicaid expansion -- was fulfilled in the early days of his taking office.

After announcing that Medicaid expansion would save the state $100 million, the governor requested that Together Louisiana leaders assist him with long-term fiscal reform. Leaders expressed concern about short-term expansions of regressive sales taxes and called on the governor to help address water quality in St. Joseph and a statewide problem of food deserts. See full report below for more.

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On his first full day in office, newly elected Governor John Bel Edwards made good on a pledge to 'Together Louisiana' to expand Medicaid. Edwards signed the executive order for this expansion flanked by Together Louisiana leaders Fr. Rick Andrus, Rev. Patti Snyder, Ms. Pat LeDuff and Ms. Alma Stewart (with LA Health Equity). The expansion is expected to provide healthcare to an additional 300,000 Louisiana residents within the next six months.

This expansion came two months after what many called "an intervention" in the gubernatorial runoff election, which had devolved into a brawl of personal attacks. At the only event in which both candidates appeared jointly, more than four hundred Together Louisiana leaders assembled from 38 cities to put family issues like healthcare, wages, higher education and transportation back at the center of the campaign.

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Phoenix, AZ - 200 Valley Interfaith Project delegates assembled after the fall 2014 election to celebrate the leveraging of $26.6 Million in public school dollars for Tempe Elementary and Scottsdale Unified School Districts. Leaders achieved this by passing school override ballot measures.

Key legislative allies in attendance vowed to to protect Medicaid expansion that was won in 2013, re-connect public school funding to inflation and advance new legislation for Respite Care, all part of VIP's 2015 Human Development agenda.

Over 150 leaders from Northern & Central Louisiana Interfaith assembled with three candidates for US Congressional District 5 including Republican incumbent Vance McAllister, Dr. Ralph Abraham and Mayor Jamie Mayo. Leaders succeeded in leveraging bipartisan agreement to work with the organization to:

- Expand Medicaid in Louisiana;

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250 Valley Interfaith Project leaders challenged Republican and Democrat legislative candidates for Districts 23 and 28 to commit to supporting Medicaid expansion, school funding increases, and workforce development. Most of the candidates committed to supporting VIP's three-point agenda.

Those that participated in the assembly include: Rep. John Kavanaugh (District 23), Jeff Schwartz and Paula Pennypacker; Effie Carlson, Jay Lawrence, and Bob Littefield; and Michelle Ugenti. District 28 candidates included Senator Adam Driggs and Kelli Butler; and House candidates Rep. Eric Meyer, Rep. Kaye Brophy-McGee and Mary Hamway.

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Bishop Gerald F. "Kicanas joined nearly 100 members of churches of different denominations from the area who gathered ... to organize a campaign in favor of not only a new immigration law but also efforts of Gov. Jan Brewer to expand the state's health program for the poor: the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)....

Kicanas' appeal came as he spoke to members of Yuma County Interfaith, a faith-based group whose leaders and members represent a variety of religious denominations in the area."

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