Articles on Harm Trumpcare Would Do to Women’s Health

Read more about Medicaid and the damage that Trumpcare will do in the following articles, among other places. People need to realize the devastation the Senate Trumpcare Bill has on women.  In addition, North Carolina would fare the worst of any states in the country under Trumpcare.

Leaders from Feminist Majority, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Women’s March on Washington came together today in Washington, D.C. to discuss the dangers posed by Trumpcare to women across race, class and age—and to devise a plan to stop it. These leaders are

• National NOW President Terry O’Neill
• Feminist Majority’s Eleanor Smeal
• Janel George, Director of Federal Reproductive Rights and Health at National Women’s Law Center
• Michelle Batchelor, Deputy Director of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda

Photo Credit: Feminist Majority

The devastation of Senate health care plan on North Carolina needs to be understood.

“If the Senate health care plan becomes law, no state’s residents would fare worse than North Carolina, according to a new study on the proposed bill. That includes 1.3 million people in North Carolina, according to a new study – the fourth-most in the nation, and the highest percentage of people losing coverage in any state.”

According to “1.3 million in NC could lose health insurance under Senate health plan,” 6/28/17, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article158456069.html.

These articles are on Medicaid and the damage that Trumpcare will do.

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Cruel Senate Trumpcare Bill Targets Women

While even President Trump described the House Trumpcare bill as ‘mean,’ his colorful verdict is an uncommon understatement as it applies to the House and Senate bills’ treatment of women’s healthcare. Trumpcare is ‘cruel’ to women, and especially harsh to North Carolinians.

Trumpcare allows the elimination of women’s access to healthcare, letting insurance companies refuse to provide maternity care, slashing Medicaid payments (by $834 billion in the House bill/$772 billion in the Senate bill), and restricting Title X reimbursement. Medicaid is the nation’s public health insurance program for people with low incomes, the disabled and the elderly. The Medicaid program covers about 75 million Americans, or 1 in 5, including many with complex and costly needs for care. Seventy percent (70%) of the adults covered by Medicaid are women. Title X is a federal program which provides funding family planning services to people beyond Medicaid, like low-income women who are not Medicaid-eligible. Their recipients? Women.

The Senate Trumpcare bill will cut Medicaid by almost $1 trillion dollars (that’s trillion with a ‘t’). These policies have disproportionate and disastrous consequences for women – young, middle-aged, and elderly, alike – especially in North Carolina. More than half of all births in North Carolina are covered by Medicaid – 54% in North Carolina in 2014, while other states vary from 24% to 72%, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Trumpcare allows insurance companies to refuse to cover maternity and newborn care as part of the 10 essential health benefits that insurance companies would no longer be required to cover.

“I Love The ERA” Cookie Drop Summary and Pix

Great turnout at the “I Love The ERA” Cookie Drop  on Jun 7, 2017, at the NC Legislative Building. There were over 35 people there – mostly women of all ages, but also some young men. One of the ERA-NC Alliance board members celebrated her birthday at the cookie drop with her daughter, female and male grandchildren, and friends! ERA-NC Alliance is an alliance of many women’s groups and individuals who recognize the need for ERA.

ERA Cookie Delivery group at beginning of event. More joined. Photo Credit: Marlene Rosol

The ERA, Equal Rights Amendment, is a constitutional amendment simply affording women the same rights as men under the law. The only right women have guaranteed right now – is the right to vote. Under the 3-state strategy, three more states are needed to ratify the ERA. In March 2017, Nevada went ahead and did it!  Read more in “ERA One Step Closer To Ratification After Passage in the [Nevada] Assembly“. Now we only need two more states to ratify.  Senator Heidi Gansert, a Republican in Nevada who voted for the ERA said,

“I understand now today, here in Nevada and across the world, there’s a crescendo building … I can hear it, and I can feel it.”

NC NOW Legislative Update #18 – Let the Budget Negotiations Begin!

The NC House finished its budget so now is time for budget negotiations between House and Senate. Update on SCOTUS ruling on NC’s gerrymandering case and another case. See NC NOW Legislative Update #18, 6/4/17 for a more on budget negotiations and the Supreme Court ruling with regard to two cases in NC.

Here are some excerpts from the summary.

“The House passed its budget just after midnight on Thursday. The House and Senate have already agreed on setting the budget for 2017 fiscal year at $22.9 billion, which will simplify the final negotiations.” See how that works in the summary.

NC NOW Legislative Update #16 – targetting the poor (food stamps, education programs)

NC NOW Legislative Update #16 of 2017 is available. This legislative update includes the latest on the Senate budget, like proposed slashes to food stamps program, and how the House is going to try address some of the outrages of it. 

“Last week the Senate passed its budget in a rushed process that allowed for
only limited debate and less than 72 hours of public availability before passage.”

“This week the process of sorting out what the budget contains beyond
appropriations and cuts continues. In addition to budgetary items, the budget
also includes new policies. Including policies in a budget bill is a way to bypass
the normal legislative process and pass controversial matters with little or no
public notice or debate. N. C. Policy Watch has identified twelve significant
policy changes buried in the Senate budget.” See
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2017/05/17/12-significant-policy-changesburied-nc-senate-budget/, 5/17/17.

“One of the most disturbing provisions of the Senate budget is a policy change concerning eligibility for SNAP, the program that used to be called food stamps, that would effectively cut off 133,000 people from receiving nutritional assistance. The move was not motivated by saving the state money because the program is paid for entirely with federal funds and costs the state nothing.” See http://www.wral.com/senate-budget-would-cut-off-food-aid-to-133-000/16703663/, 5/15/17.

And there is more, because thank goodness that “[t]he House is working on its version of the budget which is expected to correct some of the outrages in the Senate version. “

Plus, see the updates and the bill tracking that are included in all of this session’s legislative updates. 

See NC NOW Legislative Update 16.

Feminist 5K Run and Walk – Jun 17, 2017

The current wave of progressive activism is a continuation of the long fight for equal dignity for all, and an affirmation that if you show up to participate in something larger than yourself, you belong – and that our visibility matters.

If you’ve ever been to a 5k, fun run, or any road race, you have seen support and inclusion in action. Even when you are at the back of the pack (speaking from experience here), everyone wants you to succeed and they cheer you on. If you show up to participate, you belong.

The Feminist 5k in Raleigh on June 17, 2017 is an opportunity to run or walk with sisters and brothers in the cause, and to increase the visibility of feminism in our culture. You can sign up at www.feminist5k.org. Proceeds benefit the Women’s Center of Wake County. There is a $5 discount for NC NOW members. Use the Promotion Code “NC NOW.” Kids 12 and under are free.

Come run/walk/roll with us.

Alfonso: I came out feeling empowered..

I learned so much from a man I knew so little about, that man’s name was Gene R. Nichol. I went not knowing what to expect, I came out feeling empowered knowing that there’s someone out there who cares. For 2 hours it felt as if I was constantly being punched in the back by Mike Tyson, and kicked by Bruce Lee.

Professor Gene Nichol, Alfonso Cristobal, and Gailya Paliga Photo Credit: Alfonso Cristobal

LTE: What else women need from Governor Cooper, by Paula Wolf

Political Consultant and Lobbyist (and Past NC NOW Lobbyist) Paula Wolf writes a letter to the editor (LTE) back to Indy Week, a triangle periodical. The whole LTE is shown here. The Indy carried the first 3 paragraphs of Paula’s LTE with some other input. The link to the Indy article is at the end.
                                                                  ==============

With all due respect to the reporter, the “5 Things We Want to See From New Governor Roy Cooper,” 1/4/17, Indy, has some glaring oversights.

Women’s reproductive freedom has been trampled upon by the GOP since they got the majority in 2010. Mandatory scripts for doctors; transvaginal ultrasound; medically unnecessary building requirements; taxpayer funding of medically inaccurate information by anti choice “clinics” and defunding Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy prevention programs, to name a few. Access to healthcare is blockaded by not expanding Medicaid.

Fayetteville NOW joins protests against HB465 in May 2015. Hb465 is the bill that added tracking of women’s personal medical records and tracking of doctors to NC law. Roberta Waddle is speaking. Photo Credit: Hannah Osbourne

Stacking the Deck Against Tarheel Women, on Economic Security

Economic security was one of the topics covered in the morning of NC NOW’s state conference on Oct 10, 2015.  Tazra Mitchell, Policy Analyst at NC’s Budget and Tax Center (BTC), spoke on economic security in NC, especially for women, due to changes in state budgets and policy.   Mitchell’s work at BTC includes analysis of poverty, income inequality, and state fiscal policy.  

Photo Credit: NC Budget and Tax Center

On the problems North Carolinians face, Mitchell pointed out that there are not enough jobs for people who want to work.  91 counties have more jobless workers than job openings.  And the share of NC workers earning poverty wages is substantial, up from 2000.  According to the Economic Policy Institute’s Analysis of US Census Bureau data, in 2013, 31.3% of workers earned poverty wages (versus 25.6% in 2000).

Mitchell is also the Second Vice President of NC Women United, a coalition of progressive organizations committed to achieving full equality and empowerment for women.  Slides from her presentation are available on NCWU’s website at http://www.ncwu.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Broken-Economic-Model-and-Policy-Keep-Economic-Security-Out-of-Reach-for-Many-Tar-Heel-Women.pdf

Mitchell wrote about the NC NOW Conference on behalf of NCWU at http://www.ncwu.org/nc-nows-annual-conference/

Read more on the state conference “NC NOW Conference Focuses Feminist Power“

Note: This post was written on Oct 22, 2015, but didn’t get posted until March 2015.  Still completely relevant today.

National issues affecting women to consider..

Articles on national issues affecting women to consider.  What do you know about the Hyde Amendment?  You must realize the need for “paid sick leave.” Ever consider the need for “paid safe time”?  Have you heard about the Alabama Judge trying to be the next Kim Davis?  Think about the Supreme Court ruling which opened the door for them – Hobby Lobby.  And more right here.

To Fight Inequality, Support Women’s Work

“Income inequality has been rising in nearly all advanced countries since the 1980s, but the increase in women’s earnings has helped slow its growth. That means work-family policies that help keep women in the workforce—including paid family leave, paid sick days, and access to affordable child care—are some of the most promising and underused policy tools for fighting inequality, both in the present and in the future.”

More on policies that work at “To Fight Inequality, Support Women’s Work” from The Center for American Progress.             

                                                                                                                                                

When we talk about paid sick, family and medical leave please include “paid safe time.” 

“Domestic violence permeates our workplaces. About one in five full-time workers in America have experienced some form of domestic violence. Of those, 96 percent of victims had the crime spill over into work. Contrary to popular belief, domestic violence is not a private crime, and some workers have trouble addressing its aftermath because of the way workplaces are structured. Supportive employers and thoughtful public policy — such as paid safe time — can help these workers meet their needs.”