Nebraska voters approved Initiative 427 on election day this past November to expand Medicaid to 90,000 Nebraskans. Finally, many of our hard-working, uninsured friends and neighbors will be able to get the health coverage that everyone needs. Moving forward with Medicaid expansion We know many are wondering about next steps for expanding Medicaid and how our leaders will deliver on… Read more →
Author: Molly McCleery
You can help pass Initiative 427 in the final week!
There are only six days left until Election Day, and we’re working hard to get Nebraskans to vote “FOR Initiative 427.” With your continued help, 90,000 of our hard-working neighbors and friends will have a path to a healthier future next week. Here are a few ways you can help leading up to November 6. VOTE – This is the… Read more →
Letting Nebraskans choose a healthier future
For the last six years, we’ve been fighting tooth and nail to get the Nebraska Legislature to expand Medicaid so that 90,000 hard-working people in our state can finally get the health care they need. For far too long, our lawmakers have failed to provide a way for many of our family, friends, and neighbors to afford the coverage that… Read more →
What to know about the Children’s Health Insurance Program
There has been a lot of talk lately about the need for Congress to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). But what is CHIP, and why is it important? Here’s what is important to know. What is the Children’s Health Insurance Program? The Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, is a federal-state partnership program that provides health… Read more →
Ending Cost Sharing Reductions will drive up health care costs, increase federal deficit
In the past few weeks, the Trump Administration has announced several significant changes to the American health care system. I recently blogged about the rule changes regarding birth control coverage in employer-sponsored health plans. Here’s another. On October 12, the President announced that the administration would no longer make payments for cost sharing reductions (CSRs) that help people with low… Read more →
Rule changes may mean cuts in employers’ birth control coverage
On October 6, the Trump Administration issued new rule changes that will impact coverage of birth control in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. We’ve blogged about the birth control rules in the past, and how they’ve been a game changer for women’s health in the U.S. This is a big change to an essential health benefit Under the ACA, plans… Read more →
The latest Senate bill to repeal the ACA is the worst yet
The fight to protect quality health coverage for Nebraskans is at another critical moment. The Senate officially has until the end of September to use the budget reconciliation process to pass a bill that repeals the Affordable Care Act and dismantles Medicaid with only 50 votes. In recent days, there are reports of momentum growing around a plan sponsored by… Read more →
Action Alert – Small changes don’t fix BIG problems with health care bill
Today, the Senate released a revised version its health care bill, and it’s another verse in the same song for Nebraskans. The changes to the bill, the “Better Care Reconciliation Act,” do nothing to enhance protections or affordability for Nebraskans’ health insurance. In several big ways, it’s even worse than the original version. Nearly 1 in 10 Nebraskans could still… Read more →
The American Health Care Act would affect everyone’s insurance
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), its bill to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), early last month. Since then, we have received a lot of questions about what the AHCA actually includes and does. To help clear up some of the confusion, we put together some one-page overviews of the bill… Read more →
Take Action – Tell U.S. Senators every Nebraskan needs quality health insurance
Congress must protect, not dismantle essential health coverage protections that help thousands of Nebraskans 23 million people. That’s how many Americans would lose health coverage if the U.S. Senate passes the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that was passed by the House of Representatives. And even people who could still afford insurance would see a big loss of protections… Read more →
The House health care bill is a huge step backwards for health insurance
On March 8, members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in an attempt to repeal and replace the current Affordable Care Act (ACA). On March 8 and 9, the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees “marked up” and advanced the bill with the expectation that it will go for a… Read more →
Medicaid Expansion would provide vital Behavioral Health treatments to thousands
Today, we released a new policy brief on one of our Core Issues. Too many uninsured, low-income Nebraskans struggle with behavioral health challenges. This holds them back from reaching their full potential as family members, employees, and community leaders. The brief, “Medicaid Expansion and Behavioral Health in Nebraska,” explains how Nebraska could take giant strides toward meeting Nebraska’s behavioral health… Read more →
What to know about big changes to Medicaid in Nebraska
Nebraska’s Medicaid program will be undergoing big changes through Heritage Health, Nebraska’s new Medicaid managed care program. “Managed care” is a term used to describe when the state contracts with private insurance companies to manage Medicaid coverage and arrange for Medicaid services. In other words, people with Medicaid will receive their Medicaid coverage through a private insurance company. Medicaid enrollees… Read more →
Medicaid Expansion helps people get Substance Abuse Treatment
Note: This is a guest post from Health Care Intern Sarah Huddleston. It’s no secret that substance abuse is a prevalent health problem facing not just Nebraska but the U.S. as a whole. 20.2 million adults in the U.S. suffer from a substance abuse disorder, and many of them go untreated. A recent Los Angeles Times article states something… Read more →
The 101: About the Transitional Health Insurance Program
On January 19, State Senator John McCollister of Omaha introduced LB 1032, the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act. LB 1032 creates the Transitional Health Insurance Program (or “T-HIP”), which would provide health coverage for the 77,000 Nebraskans in the coverage gap. Those people who are eligible to covered by T-HIP include single adults and parents who are ineligible for Medicaid… Read more →
The Affordable Care Act has been a game-changer for women’s health
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had an enormously positive impact on reducing the number of uninsured Americans. Nearly 9 million people got health coverage in the first year of the ACA’s Health Insurance Marketplace. This is the biggest drop in uninsurance in the U.S. since before 2008, and some experts even say that we haven’t seen this big of… Read more →
Core Issues: Medicaid Works for a Healthy Workforce and a Stronger Economy
Public policy plays a big role in the lives of thousands of Nebraskans every day. At Nebraska Appleseed, we extensively research policy solutions to some of our state’s most-pressing issues like poverty, health care access, child welfare, and immigration. Armed with data and evidence-based findings, we strive to put forward achievable solutions on the Core Issues that affect Nebraskans across the state.… Read more →
Medicaid costs are growing slower than private health coverage
Medicaid is a critical program in Nebraska, providing access to health care for many people – mostly children, older adults, and people with disabilities. Despite the important role that it plays in our state, some claim that Medicaid spending is growing at unsustainable rates. However, recent data shows that Medicaid costs have been well contained in Nebraska. According to the… Read more →
Closing the Coverage Gap Can Help Pay for Prison Reform
Nebraska is currently facing serious issues with its corrections system, primarily, the level of overcrowding and the resulting cost of corrections operations. Nebraska’s corrections facilities are currently at more than 160 percent of capacity. One way to address overcrowding is to make sure those who leave corrections facilities do not return due to reoffending. Studies show that ensuring that previous… Read more →
A healthy boost to Nebraska’s economy
With LB 472, the Medicaid Redesign Act, Nebraska has the opportunity to close the coverage gap by creating a path to health care coverage for 54,000 Nebraskans. In addition to providing health insurance for many uninsured Nebraskans, LB 472 would significantly benefit our state’s economy: It’s good for individuals and families Medical debt currently contributes to a significant portion… Read more →
Nebraska hospitals and communities need the Legislature to close coverage gap
Nebraska has the opportunity to close the coverage gap with LB 472, the Medicaid Redesign Act, which would allow 54,000 Nebraskans to access health care coverage. But LB 472 also would have a significant positive impact on our state’s hospitals, and in many cases, provide essential funding to keep open health care facilities in Nebraska’s smaller communities. A recent PBS… Read more →
Medicaid: Who is covered, and who isn’t?
Along with transforming Nebraska’s health care system to make it more effective and more efficient, LB 472, the Medicaid Redesign Act, is crucial to ensuring that 54,000 Nebraskans who fall into the coverage gap have access to health care. In order to understand the coverage gap and why the current system needs to be fixed, it’s important to know some… Read more →
November 1 reduction in SNAP funding is about to hurt Nebraska families
At the end of this week, thousands of Nebraska families who receive food assistance will face even more uncertainty because of a nationwide reduction in payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. On November 1, there will be a nationwide reduction in payments from SNAP, formerly called ‘food stamps’, which helps about 180,000 Nebraskans – or 10 percent of our… Read more →
New USDA data show 1 in 7 Nebraska households struggle with hunger
According to new data released Wednesday, 1 in 7 Nebraska households struggle against hunger. The statistics, compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service, show 13.4 percent of Nebraska households struggled with hunger on average in the years 2010-2012 according to the USDA’s annual report on food insecurity. More than 48.9 million Americans lived in households that… Read more →
House bill expected to propose damaging SNAP cuts, will harm Nebraska families
Hunger impacts many of our friends and neighbors here in Nebraska. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 13.3 percent of households in our state are food insecure. This population includes working families, children, senior citizens, disabled individuals, and even low-income veterans. Thankfully, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides a vital support for 180,000 Nebraskans struggling to… Read more →
Farm bills contain SNAP cuts that will harm working families
On Monday, June 10, the U.S. Senate passed its Farm Bill by a vote of 66-27. The Senate bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation setting many of our nation’s farm and food policies, includes a huge cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, the Senate bill cuts $4.1 billion from SNAP over ten years by eliminating “Heat and… Read more →
Nebraska Participation in Summer Meals for Children Continues to Fall Short
When the school year ends, many hungry children lose access to the school breakfasts and lunches they receive during the school year. Meals provided through the Summer Food Service Program play an important role in making sure these children have access to nutritious food once the school year ends. This program is federally reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture… Read more →
Senate and House Farm Bills Include Drastic, Harmful Cuts to SNAP
Right now, the U.S. Congress is making important decisions about funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Funding for SNAP is included in the Farm Bill, a comprehensive piece of federal legislation authorizing and regulating funding for most federal farm and food policies. Congress reauthorizes the Farm Bill every five years. Last week, the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture… Read more →
A Law Clerk’s View: Tools to Work in a Public Interest Career
I started law school knowing that I wanted to go into public interest law, and working at Appleseed has provided me with excellent preparation for a public interest career. I can honestly say that working at Appleseed has been my favorite part of my law school experience. It has been great to be able to take the things I’ve learned… Read more →
Clerkship: An Opportunity to Learn and Serve Others
I could not have asked for a better summer clerkship experience. I feel extremely fortunate to have had a clerkship where I could both sharpen the skills I learned during the first year of law school and serve the needs of others. This summer, I worked in Appleseed’s Low Income Economic Opportunity Program. Through the research I was able to… Read more →