Stacey Abrams, Senators, Advocates Say Pandemic Response Must Protect Medicaid

Thursday, July 30, 2020 6:00-7:15 p.m. EDT

The U.S. Senate may vote this week what could be the final COVID-19 relief package of this year. Speakers will address the critical role Medicaid has played in mitigating the pandemic’s health consequences. They will explore how Medicaid is uniquely able to scale up during the pandemic and resulting economic downturn to ensure that millions who are newly unemployed can get the care they need. And they will warn that Medicaid faces threats of its own – with states facing massive, recession-driven budget shortfalls, several states have enacted Medicaid cuts, and cuts are under consideration in several other states. The pandemic legislation debate coincides with the 55^th anniversary of Medicaid’s enactment, on July 30, 1965. Medicaid has been a literal life saver for millions, a conduit for advancing health care quality, and a force for health justice, mitigating health inequities born of racism and poverty.

Featuring

• Stacey Abrams, Executive Director, Southern Economic Advancement Project
• Senator Bob Casey (PA)
• Representative Kathy Castor (FL)
• Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL)
• Daniel Dawes, Author, The Political Determinants of Health
• Leaders from Protect Our Care, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, UnidosUS, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and Little Lobbyists
• Individuals who have been helped by Medicaid