Tell Texas Legislators: Expand access to health coverage now!

Right now, too many Texans are hearing, “I’m sorry, you don’t qualify,” in their quest to access healthcare.

It's just not right and it doesn't have to be this way.

We must urge our state leaders to set aside politics and look out for the millions of Texas families struggling to get affordable health coverage.

Your message—your voice—can help move these families closer to gaining health coverage. Sign your name in the form to the right to send a message to state legislators that it is time to accept our federal tax dollars and expand health coverage to low income families!

Sign Today!

Dear State Legislators,

As your constituent, I urge you to set politics aside and look out for the millions of Texans struggling to gain access to health coverage.

Texas has the largest percentage of uninsured people in the United States. The people who are left stranded without coverage are people we know and rely on in our communities. More than three-quarters of the uninsured are in low-income, working families who simply can't afford the high and rising costs of health insurance.

Texas can help these families get health coverage with federal dollars already allocated for us. It's time to accept our federal tax dollars to expand access to health coverage.

Signed,

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Subject: Tell TX Legislators: Expand access to low cost health coverage Your message to friends:

Hello!

I just signed this petition from MomsRising urging Texas legislators to expand access to health coverage for low income families. Please take a moment to sign your name, too!

http://action.momsrising.org/sign/tx_hc_expansion/?source=taf

See the message below for more information.

Thanks!

--

Dear Friend,

As a native Texan, it breaks my heart to know that so many Texans are hearing, “I’m sorry, you don’t qualify,” in their quest to access healthcare.

It's just not right and it doesn't have to be this way.

Texas has the largest percentage of uninsured people in the United States—6 million people. Fortunately, about 1/2 of our uninsured are eligible for affordable coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace. But the other half (approximately 3 million people) are left stranded. [1]

Why? One reason is our state leaders have not accepted billions of our federal tax dollars that could expand coverage.

* It doesn't have to be this way! Tell our state leaders to expand access to low cost health coverage now:

http://action.momsrising.org/sign/tx_hc_expansion/?source=taf

The people who are left stranded in this "coverage gap" are people we know and rely on in our communities. They are low-income Texans who do not qualify to enroll in Texas’ Medicaid program but also do not make enough to qualify for subsidized insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace. More than three-quarters of the uninsured are in low-income, working families who simply can't afford the high and rising costs of health insurance. [2]

Linda Berman, 63, of Dallas, is self-employed and without health insurance. She makes her living giving educational demonstrations to children throughout the Dallas area. Linda has had diabetes for more than 10 years, and has not been able to acquire health insurance because of her pre-existing condition. Now, she can't afford to buy health insurance because she makes too little to qualify for subsidies. (Yes - you read that correctly!) She has struggled financially, accumulating more than $70,000 in hospital debt for a 4-day visit a couple years ago and had to file bankruptcy as a result.

Texas can help these families get health coverage with federal dollars already allocated for Texans. For example, Kentucky extended Medicaid to low-income adults and 175,000 uninsured adults have gained coverage in just a few months at no cost to the state this year. [3]

* Join with fellow Texans who are working to help get hard-working people like Linda and three million more access to healthcare coverage: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/tx_hc_expansion/?source=taf

Each year that Texas' leaders reject expanding Medicaid, not only do Texans go without access to healthcare coverage, but the federal government gives our federal funds to other states. Let's fix this!

Together we are a powerful voice for the health of Texas families.

Julie, Ashley, Felicia, Nina, and the whole MomsRising.org team

[1] http://forabettertexas.org/images/HC_2012_06_BR_MHMClineMurdock.pdf

[2] http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/7451-08.pdf

[3] http://wuky.org/post/why-red-state-kentucky-got-shoutout-obama

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