Hospitals and Clinics Feel the Pain of Medicaid Expansion Politics

This article by LeeAnn Hall, executive director of Alliance for a Just Society, was originally published in Huffington Post. Is your state refusing to expand Medicaid? If so, it could be putting your health at risk, whether you’d qualify for Medicaid or not. That’s because the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – the health reform billContinue reading “Hospitals and Clinics Feel the Pain of Medicaid Expansion Politics”

Let’s Put Some Muscle on Those Skinny Health Care Networks

** This article by LeeAnn Hall  first appeared in Huffington Post ** Have you heard about the latest fad in health care? It’s called “skinny networks.” Normally, when I hear the words “skinny” and “health” in the same sentence, I think about the importance of diet and exercise. Yet, when we’re discussing health provider networks,Continue reading “Let’s Put Some Muscle on Those Skinny Health Care Networks”

Legislators Who Block Medicaid Expansion Are Stiffing Veterans Out of Health Care

** This article by LeeAnn Hall  first appeared in Huffington Post ** The scandal over long wait times for veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system has grabbed a lot of headlines and elicited a lot of righteous anger – as it should. America’s veterans deserve so much better. But as Ezra KleinContinue reading “Legislators Who Block Medicaid Expansion Are Stiffing Veterans Out of Health Care”

Who’s Really Behind the “Voice of Small Business?”

*This article was originally published in The Hill * How much does it cost to rebrand a fee levied on health insurers as a “HIT on small business”? Well, $1.593 million, according to this exposé in the New York Times a few days ago. A little background: a provision of the Affordable Care Act levies a feeContinue reading “Who’s Really Behind the “Voice of Small Business?””

Welcome to the Alliance’s “Power from the Roots Up” Conference

** Letter from the Executive Director ** Welcome to the Alliance’s annual conference, “Power from the Roots Up”! In this moment, we are witnessing intense gridlock in D.C. The once-promising dream of comprehensive immigration reform has turned into a political nightmare. Congress refuses to allow former students to refinance one of the great scourges ofContinue reading “Welcome to the Alliance’s “Power from the Roots Up” Conference”

LeeAnn Hall: Three Reasons Why Harris v. Quinn Matters to All of Us

This article was originally published in Huffington Post. The Harris v. Quinn ruling on Monday was a huge step backward in the national effort to develop rights and protections for home care workers. It’s also a clear call to action for all of us not to become complacent or take for granted the rights andContinue reading “LeeAnn Hall: Three Reasons Why Harris v. Quinn Matters to All of Us”

After Obamacare Enrollment, Three Critical Steps

This article by LeeAnn Hall, first appeared in Colorlines.com More than 7.1 million people have obtained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, despite the early confusion and glitches with the computer system. In addition, 6.3 million are approved for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and an estimated 3 million more young peopleContinue reading “After Obamacare Enrollment, Three Critical Steps”

Entrenched Lobbyists Stirring Raise-the-Wage Opposition

Spring is in the air. That means cherry blossom season in Washington. It also means fly-in time, when the nation’s biggest trade associations hold their annual lobby days. Case in point: the National Restaurant Association (NRA) is hitting town at the end of April. Topping the Restaurant Association’s agenda? Stick a fork in the proposedContinue reading “Entrenched Lobbyists Stirring Raise-the-Wage Opposition”