Many provisions of the Affordable Care Act are designed to overcome health outcome disparities caused by social factors associated with race, ethnicity, language, and culture. Will they work? Continue reading
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Health Rights Organizing Project Plans Next Steps Toward Equitable Health Care
Nearly a year after the passage of health care reform, the Alliance for a Just Society convened members of its Health Rights Organizing Project, a national collaboration of grassroots community organizations working on health care, to reflect on that victory and to develop next steps in the long march towards an equitable health care system. This was the first face-to-face meeting of the coalition since health reform was made law in March 2010. Continue reading
Main Street Alliance Leader Don Orange Shares His Story in Washington, D.C.
On March 17, Main Street Alliance leader Don Orange, owner of Hoesly ECO Auto & Tire in Vancouver, Washington, joined House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress at a press conference highlighting how the new health care law is already benefiting millions of small businesses and consumers as its one year anniversary approaches on March 23rd.
Don is the Chair of the Main Street Alliance of Washington, a coalition of more than 2,000 Washington small businesses affiliated with the national Main Street Alliance network. His business is a family-owned and operated auto shop with five employees. Don’s business is benefiting from the Affordable Care Act’s small business health care tax credit, which is offsetting his 2010 health care costs by 14 percent.
“As a small business owner, I know we need to keep moving forward on health care,” Don said. “We won’t go back, and we won’t let the benefits of the new law be taken away from us. The health care law is good for small businesses and good for our communities – it’s good for America.”
Building the Native Movement: Training and Empowerment in Billings, Montana
From defending treaty obligations such as water rights and access to basic health care, to fighting institutional racism in schools and state legislation, to fighting the effects of colonialism in our food systems that are literally killing Indian people, there is no shortage of work to be done in Indian Country.
Across Indian Country, Native people are dealing with amagnitude of issues that affect day-to-day life. While it may be easy to find social service programs that slow the weeping wounds of daily life, one is pressed to find community organizing efforts that address the systemic change that is so desperately needed in these communities. Continue reading
Conservative Judicial Activism Must Strengthen Health Care Implementation
On Monday, January 31st, a second federal court ruled against the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A Florida judge opined that the individual responsibility provision was unconstitutional and therefore made the entire Act invalid. The White House and reform supporters were quick to point out that two other courts and numerous judicial scholars hold a contrary opinion. Nevertheless, the ruling, even if eventually reversed, will give added hope to the Tea Baggers and other opponents of reform. Health care advocates must continue to stand by the ACA because it is the law of the land. Continue reading
