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While it is still early in the 2007 political season,
many signs point toward action on health care reform
in Maryland in this session. Key leaders return to
office and head health-care related House of
Delegates and Senate committees. Many of the
newly elected members of the legislature have
already expressed support for our key priorities.
Maryland is part of a groundswell of states in which
health care reform is a top priority across party lines
and diverse local circumstances. The growth of our
Coalition membership demonstrates that there is a
widespread commitment among women for reform
now.
To maximize our impact in the 2007 legislative
session, we encourage all our members and
supporters to contact their delegates and senator
early in the session and urge them to make health
care reform a priority. Please ask your elected
official via personal visit, phone call, or hand-written
letter specifically to support the Healthy Maryland
initiative now, and ask them to encourage their
colleagues to do the same.
Useful links for the 2007 General Assembly
Session:
General Assembly 2007 General Assembly Calendar State and House Committees Find your state legislators |
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Our legislative priorities for 2007 are to support the
bills introduced in the General Assembly that will take
Maryland closer to health care for everyone. We
anticipate supporting and working for passage of two
main pieces of legislation. They are:
The Healthy Maryland Initiative.
This bill will raise the state tobacco tax an additional
$1.00 per pack. The monies from this will
give thousands of uninsured families access to care
by expanding HealthChoice (Maryland Medicaid) to
parents earning below 100% of poverty (currently
$19,350 a year for a family of four). The HMI will also
help small businesses afford health coverage for their
workers by offsetting a portion of their health care
costs. It will increase funding for community health
centers and develop a plan to reduce health care
disparities. In addition, HMI will reduce teen and
adult smoking and the associated health care
costs.
Key to success in passing this bill is to gain the support of legislators. Check out which legislators endorsed this initiative. If your legislators have signed, please thank them. If not, contact them and ask them to endorse this initiative. Not sure who represents you in Annapolis? Find out. The
Health Care for All! Plan. This legislation
will provide all Marylanders with access to quality,
affordable health care. This is a public-private
partnership that will expand health care coverage by:
helping small employers finance the costs of
providing
health insurance; expanding eligibility for our
Medicaid program; expanding the Maryland Children's
Health Program; and, by creating MDCare, a
coverage plan for uninsured adults. Marylanders who
already receive their coverage through existing
insurance companies will be able to keep their
insurance and their doctors.
In addition, our Legislative Action Team will evaluate
policy issues and legislative proposals put
forth by others to determine if they advance our
vision of health care for all.
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Maryland is not alone! Other states are working
towards comprehensive health care for all. Here's
some news from states working on health care reform.
Plans that have
passed:
Massachusetts A comprehensive health reform plan was approved in April 2005 with bi-partisan support. The plan expands Medicaid and uses both individual and employer mandates to expand coverage. Many states are watching Massachusetts, including our stakeholders in Maryland, as perhaps the best example to date of moving toward comprehensive reform, despite its flaws. Maine The Dirigo Health Plan was passed in
2003 and
implementation began in January 2005, with the goal
of achieving universal coverage by 2009. Opposition
to its full implementation has been strong and legal
and legislative struggles continue. However, Dirigo is
providing health care to more than 15,000 Mainers,
including over 2000 small businesses. Dirigo has
cost
containment and quality improvement features that
have saved some $78 million in 2004 and 2005.
Vermont Following the example of its
neighbor
Massachusetts, Vermont passed legislation in May
2006 which will provide comprehensive coverage to
all uninsured Vermonters. The plan expands
Medicaid,
subsidizes private insurance for people with low
incomes, and restructures treatment of chronic
illnesses. It builds upon its successful Dr. Dynosaur
program that has covered Vermont's children.
Other proposals in the
works:
Illinois In 2004, Illinois' General Assembly created the Health Care Task Force which was required to hold hearings in every congressional district by April 2006, to be followed by an analysis to develop a plan to cover everyone in the state. Several major policy proposals have been reviewed and recommendations for a comprehensive plan were expected to be submitted to the General Assembly by December 31, 2006. Implementation is to begin by July 2007. New Mexico In February 2006, the
legislature
approved funds to study how to get to universal
coverage for all in the state. The governor and
legislature's leadership have been supportive of
extending coverage to more New Mexicans, including
requiring companies that do business with the state
to offer health benefits by July 2007; increase
eligibility for low income adults through Medicaid; and
expand the state insurance program to small
businesses. Most important, Governor Bill Richardson
has asked for recommendations for a plan by the
2008 legislative session.
Colorado A state health care reform
assembly was
formed by the legislature in May 2006 to bring
guaranteed health care for all in two years. This was
vetoed by the governor but, its sponsors are
attempting to implement it in other ways.
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Jan 18: Annual Legislative Reception & Briefing.
Sponsored by MLAW (MD
Legislative Agenda for Women). 4:30 pm
reception; 5 pm briefing.
President's Conference Center West, Miller Senate
Office Building, Annapolis. Legislative Briefing: no
charge; reception: $25 by 1/15/7, $30 after 1/15/7.
Pre-payment required.
Info: 443-519-1005,
admin@mdlegagenda4women.org, registration form, or website.
Jan 25-7:
Health Action 2007. The national grassroots
meeting
sponsored by Families
USA with Keynote by Sen. Barack
Obama. Mayflower Renaissance
Hotel. $315 Info: 202-628-3030, register,
field@familiesusa.org, or
website.
Jan. 28: 2007 Women's Legislative Briefing.
Sponsored by the Montgomery
County Commission for Women with Keynote by
Donna Brazile. 12:30-5
pm. Info: 240-777-8330 or registration. No charge.
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The greater our numbers, the greater our impact!
Our membership now numbers over 60,000,
including
both organizations and individuals. Our members
include Maryland statewide AAUW, League of Women
Voters, National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-
Choice, as well as the Maryland Nurses Association,
the Maryland Federation of Business and
Professional
Women and others.
We are not stopping here. We will continue to
recruit new members and we ask you to join us in
this effort. It is easy, just send us an
email and
give us
We firmly commit to your privacy and will
not distribute
any information or email
to any other
organization or
individual.
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Anne S. Kasper, Chair, Leni Preston, Vice Chair
Maryland Women's Coalition for Health Care Reform
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