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NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

Thursday, June 15 — NC Health Care Call-in Day

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The Council’s commitment to health care as a basic justice issue dates back decades. Significant progress toward health care for all was made with the Affordable Care Act, progress toward a beloved community where everyone has enough.

Unfortunately, work continues in the U.S. Senate to repeal the ACA with an alternative plan being developed almost entirely in secret. While the ACA was passed by the Senate after roughly 100 public hearings, Republicans in Congress plan to hold zero public hearings before voting on their repeal bill.

By avoiding public scrutiny, they hope to avoid hearing from their constituents, but we cannot let Senators Tillis and Burr work with their colleagues to fast-track a bill that could leave more than 1 million North Carolinians uninsured.  In addition, an analysis by The Commonwealth Fund found that the American Health Care Act as approved by the House would cost North Carolina 41,000 jobs.

Along with a coalition of NC organizations advocating for health care, the Council is asking you to reach out to Senators Tillis and Burr on June 15 to demand that they drop their secret bill that would cut health care to pay for tax breaks.

Senator Tillis can be reached at 202-224-6342, and Senator Burr’s number is 202-224-3154. You can also call 1-866-426-2631 to be routed through a hotline.  Key points your conversation could include:

Senate Republicans are drafting a secret bill to slash Medicaid and repeal the Affordable Care Act, and they will not share it with the public before they vote. As your constituent, I find this lack of transparency unacceptable. Share your secret bill with your constituents so we can evaluate it.

While we do not know details of your hidden bill, we ask you to do the following:

  • Oppose any bill that caps or cuts Medicaid funding — over one million children and many seniors and people with disabilities in our state rely on it.
  • Oppose any bill that would increase the number of uninsured in our state.

Instead of repealing the ACA, I encourage you to work to improve the current system.

 

 

About Aleta Payne, Former Deputy Executive Director

Aleta Payne first joined the Council staff in the spring of 2001 as the Communications Associate. She continues to oversee that work along with development, represents the Council in several partnership efforts, and serves in other administrative roles, as well. Aleta is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs and spent much of her early career as a journalist. She has three young adult sons who continue to come home to Cary for dinner, or at least groceries, and two young adult terrier-mix dogs who keep the nest from feeling too empty.

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