Note: This is a guest post from Denise Dickeson, Lincoln resident and volunteer. My name is Denise Dickeson and I have been disabled for over 20 years with an invisible condition called Meniere’s disease. If I could, I would work, but my condition does not allow me to have a stable job. Instead, I spend my free time volunteering and… Read more →
Medicaid turns 54! It’s time for Nebraska to implement Medicaid expansion Today, Medicaid turns 54! Since it began, it’s saved many, many lives, lifting people out of poverty and giving them the chance to pursue their passions and dreams. For decades, Medicaid has provided stable coverage for millions of Americans, including thousands of Nebraskans. Many of Nebraska’s low-income parents,… Read more →
Last Friday, the 2019 Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die until January. Small victories for children and families and low-income community members were made during this legislative session. However, there is still more work to be done and Appleseed continues engaging with state policymakers on a variety of issues impacting Nebraskans throughout the interim. Below are some of the highlights from… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** April 1, 2019 Contact, Molly McCleery Health Care Access Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853, Ext. 113 Email: mmccleery@neappleseed.org Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Chooses to Ignore Voter Intent in Medicaid Expansion Implementation Proposes to delay start for two more years and adds complex scheme including work requirements LINCOLN – Today, the Nebraska Department of… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** November 6, 2018 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Office: (402) 438-8853, Ext. 119 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on voters passing Initiative 427 Nebraskans chose a healthier future for our hard-working people by expanding Medicaid LINCOLN — Tonight, Nebraska voters passed Initiative 427 to expand Medicaid and allow 90,000… Read more →
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 →
Expanding Medicaid in Nebraska would be great news for Nebraska’s rural communities, according to a new report released today. The analysis by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families and the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program found a higher percentage of people living in rural communities are uninsured, but would be eligible for health coverage if Nebraska voters… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** September 7, 2018 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Medicaid expansion would improve health of workers in vital industries New report illustrates Medicaid expansion would cover workers in occupations that are the foundation of Nebraska’s economy LINCOLN — The vast majority of Nebraskans in the coverage… Read more →
First of all, we want to say “thank you so much” for all of your hard work during the signature collection phase of the Insure the Good Life campaign to expand Medicaid in Nebraska! With help from volunteers like you, we were able to collect signatures from all 93 counties across Nebraska. Last week, the Secretary of State certified over 105,000 signatures – well over the… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** August 24, 2018 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Petition signature count certified to let Nebraskans vote on expanding Medicaid Secretary of State confirms ballot measure received well more than enough signatures to qualify for November election LINCOLN – Today, Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale confirmed the ballot… Read more →
As the last of the fireworks were going off on the Fourth of July, we began to finally get the full picture of the amazing thing you all helped accomplish. You signed your name. You gathered petition signatures from your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. Beginning in a chilly spring and continuing into the blistering summer, you helped give 90,000… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** July 6, 2018 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Medicaid Expansion supporters submit 133,000 petition signatures on Thursday Nebraskans across the state call for chance to vote for healthier future in November LINCOLN — Today, supporters of the Insure The Good Life campaign submitted more… Read more →
No one should be devastated financially for suffering an on-the-job injury, but after Jennifer got hurt working in a hotel, she found that getting healthy enough to get back to work was harder than she ever could have imagined. The injury forced the Bellevue woman to lose her job, which made affording health coverage nearly impossible, and her applications for… Read more →
Darrell Allen Roth, an Omaha native, is a familiar face in his neighborhood. Darrell has been working in the salvage business for over 20 years, and after learning the trade with a local company, he set out on his own in 2005. Since becoming self-employed, Darrell realized how expensive health insurance have gotten for those who need to purchase coverage… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** January 10, 2018 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould responds to State of the State address Further revenue cuts will worsen budget shortfall, focus must be on investing in healthy communities and educated workforce LINCOLN — Wednesday, Nebraska Appleseed Executive… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** December 20, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on Congress’ tax bill Bill endangers investments in health care, education, and other essential public systems LINCOLN — Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould issued the following statement in response to Congress passing… Read more →
This is a guest post by Appleseed health care intern Suzie Cho. In recent months, there has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Despite that, the national trend shows that more people have been signing up for marketplace coverage than in previous years. For many Nebraskans like Rayna Collins, the current… Read more →
Congress is risking Nebraskans’ health coverage as part of its tax plan, and we’re asking you to make a call today to keep it from happening. Please call both of our U.S. Senators. Tell them the Senate tax bill must not repeal the ACA’s individual mandate or result in cuts to Medicare. These changes would cause many Nebraskans to… Read more →
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 →
***For Immediate Release*** October 13, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Appleseed Statement on President’s decision to end Cost-Sharing Reductions Unnecessary move will destabilize the Marketplace and endanger Nebraskans LINCOLN — Last night, President Donald Trump announced the administration would end important payments to insurance companies that… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed is proud to recognize phenomenal advocates who have made contributions to the fight for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans at the 2017 Good Apple Awards: Root Down, Rise Up on October 19th in Omaha. The Milo Mumgaard Emerging Leader Award, named after Nebraska Appleseed’s founding executive director, recognizes young, emerging leaders who have a vision for the… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** September 26, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on Graham-Cassidy CBO score Analysis reveals bill would gut Medicaid, endanger coverage for millions of Americans LINCOLN — Monday evening, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its analysis of the Graham-Cassidy Senate health… Read more →
In July, Appleseed was pleased to welcome our newest field organizer, Felipe Blanco. Felipe comes to Appleseed with a wealth of experience in public policy and will work in our Health Care and Economic Justice programs, connecting with people in communities all across the state on ways they can create positive change for themselves and their neighbors. “I am excited… Read more →
Appleseed In Action – August 2017 News and Events In this month’s edition of Appleseed In Action: Senate rejects latest ACA repeal effort New bills would allow DREAMers to earn citizenship House budget proposal would endanger many working families Appleseed welcomes organizer Felipe Blanco 2017 Good Apple Awards – Meet the Honorees Senate rejects another effort to repeal Affordable… Read more →
Like many of you, we were watching the news of last night’s Senate vote on health care. We were concerned that despite thousands of your calls, emails, letters, and office visits, when the clock struck midnight, the health care of tens of thousands of Nebraskans might be put at risk. But it wasn’t. And that’s thanks to you, and countless… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** July 18, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on Senate effort to repeal ACA with no replacement Move would throw insurance markets into chaos, force even more Nebraskans to lose coverage LINCOLN — This afternoon Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** July 13, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on changes to Senate Health Care Bill Cosmetic changes still will leave hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans uninsured LINCOLN — Today the U.S. Senate released an updated version of its bill to overhaul… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** June 15, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Cell: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraskans helped by Medicaid urge Senators against cuts Constituents share Medicaid success stories and tell Senators to protect health coverage LINCOLN — Thursday, Nebraskans who have been helped by Medicaid urged U.S. Senators to oppose any… Read more →
Note: Part of fighting for positive change in our communities means getting to work with outstanding, like-minded volunteer partners who share our goal of expanding justice and opportunity in Nebraska. Periodically, we will feature individuals and organizations with whom we have been fortunate to work to build a brighter future in our state. This is a guest post from Appleseed… Read more →
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 →
News and Events from Nebraska Appleseed – June 2017 In this June edition of “Appleseed in Action”: Protect quality health coverage 2017 Nebraska Legislative Recap President’s budget harmful to Nebraska families Court victory for Nebraska foster youth June events at Urban Abbey Job Opening – Staff Attorney Tell our Senators to protect quality health coverage The numbers were as… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** June 7, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Cell: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Jordan Rasmussen Policy Associate, Center for Rural Affairs Office: (402) 687-2100, ext. 1032 Email: jordanr@cfra.org Congress’ Health Care Changes Would Be Devastating to Rural Nebraska Premium increases, Medicaid cuts would cause great harm in smaller communities LINCOLN… Read more →
The 2017 Nebraska Legislative Session came to an end last Tuesday, concluding a session that contained several setbacks for efforts to improve opportunities for hard-working, low-income families and children. Still, a few important advancements were made to improve access to justice and opportunity for more Nebraskans. Your support and hard work, combined with some outstanding leaders in the Legislature, helped… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** May 24, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org CBO score confirms House health care bill devastating for Nebraska AHCA would make health care unaffordable for millions more Americans LINCOLN — Wednesday, Nebraska Appleseed Deputy Health Care Director Molly McCleery issued the following statement on… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** May 23, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org President’s budget proposal a harsh attack on Nebraska families Drastic cuts will harm low-income families, children, seniors, Nebraskans with disabilities LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould issued the following statement on the President’s… Read more →
La versión en español está abajo. It just happened. Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that will cause potentially tens of thousands of Nebraskans like Rose and Matt to lose their health coverage. Because the House rushed a vote on this bill before the Congressional Budget Office could analyze… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** May 4, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Nebraska Appleseed Communications Director Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on American Health Care Act House vote endangers health insurance for millions of Americans LINCOLN — Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA) despite it… Read more →
Believe it or not, we’re not done fighting off a bill that would take affordable health insurance away from tens of thousands of Nebraskans. The House of Representatives has brought back the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that you helped to defeat earlier this month. But now, a new amendment will make the bill even worse, dismantling Medicaid and removing… Read more →
Last week, you helped do something incredible. Thanks to your phone calls, your emails, and your decision to show up at town halls and support affordable health coverage, Congress has left the Affordable Care Act in place. This means millions of Americans – and thousands of Nebraskans – will be able to keep their health insurance. But we’ve still got… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** March 22, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska health care leaders urge Congress against Medicaid cuts House bill would result in drastic cuts to Medicaid, endangering thousands of Nebraskans Wednesday, more than 20 Nebraska health care providers, faith groups, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations… Read more →
Reports are the House of Representatives will vote Thursday morning on it’s dangerous ACA-replacement bill, the American Health Care Act. Will you call your Congressman today and urge them to vote “No”? Call your Congressman today! Let their office know you oppose this bill and want them to work on legislation that protects Nebraskans’ quality health insurance. Dist. 1… Read more →
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 →
***For Immediate Release*** March 14, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on House health care bill CBO score confirms ACA replacement would have devastating effects on Nebraskans’ health care LINCOLN — Monday evening, the Congressional Budget Office released its score of the House of… Read more →
Now is the time to protect affordable health care for all Nebraskans. Will you take action today? A bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives that removes many of the important parts of the Affordable Care Act and would bring huge cuts to Medicaid. This would strip health insurance from millions of Americans – including thousands of people… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** March 6, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement on House Health Care Bill Potential cuts to care would harm tens of thousands of Nebraskans LINCOLN — Monday, the House of Representatives introduced a bill to radically change the American health care… Read more →
Last week marked the final day of bill introduction in the 2017 Nebraska Legislative session. Several bills we consider top priorities were introduced, and we’ll be testifying at several committee hearings this week. Health coverage for hard-working Nebraskans Last week, Sen. Adam Morfeld introduced LB 441, a bill that would allow nearly 100,000 uninsured Nebraskans with low incomes to get… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** January 18, 2017 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska leaders urge Senators not to dismantle health insurance system Over 30 health care, business, community leaders warn that hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans could lose health care protections if ACA is repealed without replacement LINCOLN… Read more →
This week, Congress took another step down a path that will endanger the health insurance of hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans. In the early hours of Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate cast its first vote in the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which has dramatically improved the quality of health insurance in America. But it’s not too late… Read more →
Because of the Affordable Care Act, tens of thousands of Nebraskans are among the millions of Americans who can now get quality, affordable health insurance. But Congress already is taking steps to end those life-saving protections with no replacement plan in sight. Will you call our Senators today? Tell Sen. Deb Fischer and Sen. Ben Sasse they can’t vote to… Read more →
We know tens of thousands of Nebraskans are among the millions of Americans who can now get quality, affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. For the first time ever, thousands of Nebraskans have good insurance that covers prescription medicines and life-saving preventive care, and they can’t be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. But Congress could vote… Read more →
We are at a pivotal point in American health care. More than 20 million Americans have been able to get quality health insurance under the Affordable Care Act with landmark protections like guaranteed preventive care and being able to get coverage even if you have a pre-existing condition. This has led to the highest percentage of Americans with health coverage… Read more →
Note: Part of fighting for positive change in our communities means getting to work with outstanding, like-minded volunteer partners who share our goal of expanding justice and opportunity in Nebraska. Periodically, we will feature individuals and organizations with whom we have been fortunate to work to build a brighter future in our state. This is a guest post from Appleseed… Read more →
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 →
Appleseed is proud to welcome Eleanor Dollear as Appleseed’s Weitz Fellow for 2016-17. Eleanor will work with our Economic Justice & Health Care Access programs. The fellowship is supported by the Weitz Family Foundation of Omaha and places recent Carleton College graduates with non-profits in Lincoln and Omaha for one-year fellowships. Eleanor is originally from Chicago and graduated from Carleton… Read more →
Note: Part of fighting for positive change in our communities means getting to work with outstanding, like-minded volunteer partners who share our goal of expanding justice and opportunity in Nebraska. Periodically, we will feature individuals and organizations with whom we have been fortunate to work to build a brighter future in our state. This is a guest post from Appleseed… Read more →
Note: Part of fighting for positive change in our communities means getting to work with outstanding, like-minded volunteer partners who share our goal of expanding justice and opportunity in Nebraska. Periodically, we will feature individuals and organizations with whom we have been fortunate to work to build a brighter future in our state. This is a guest post from Appleseed… Read more →
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 →
Over the last several years, a majority of states – currently 32 and the District of Columbia – have embraced solutions to allow working people with low incomes to afford vital health insurance through Medicaid expansion. For years, Appleseed and many other partners have strongly advocated for Nebraska to do the same because Medicaid expansion is a proven solution to… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** March 15, 2016 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Over 87,000 Nebraskans newly insured through Health Insurance Marketplace 88 percent of enrollees received tax credits to reduce cost of plans LINCOLN — Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced more than 87,000… Read more →
It was an exciting week at the State Capitol as one of our biggest priority bills faced a first-round vote last week. Plus, Nebraskans got their chance to tell their State Senators why they support health coverage for hard-working people. This is the final week of committee hearings before the Legislature moves to all-day floor debate next week. Advocates urge… Read more →
Some important bills that impact young Nebraskans are headed to the floor of the Legislature, but first, let’s tell you about an important day to take action this week. Wednesday – Lobby Day for Transitional Health Insurance Program Wednesday morning we invite you to come talk to your State Senator during a special Lobby Day for LB 1032 –… Read more →
Supporters packed a hearing room at the State Capitol on February 10 for a hearing on LB 1032, the Transitional Health Insurance Program (T-HIP) Act. The new bill, introduced by State Senator John McCollister (LD-20, Omaha), is a new, bipartisan plan to help nearly 77,000 uninsured Nebraskans afford the essential health coverage they need. It also would allow our state… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** February 10, 2016 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement supporting Transitional Health Insurance Program Act LB 1032 would create path to affordable health insurance for 77,000 uninsured Nebraskans LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould released the following statement in support… Read more →
Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould released the following statement on the Department of Health and Human Services’ fiscal analysis of LB 1032, the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act. “We have seen these kinds of 11th-hour, taxpayer commissioned reports before from the Department. At the end of the day, what matters is what the Legislative Fiscal Office projects, and that analysis… Read more →
This will be one of the biggest weeks of the 2016 Legislative session and it’s an important week for you to Take Action on key bills! Hearing for Transitional Health Insurance Program Act On Wednesday afternoon, LB 1032 – the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act, introduced by Sen. John McCollister – will have its hearing in front of the… Read more →
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 →
We’re already a few weeks into the 2016 Nebraska Legislature session. Every day at the State Capitol, Appleseed will be fighting for justice and opportunity for all Nebraskans by advocating for bills, meeting with State Senators, and organizing Nebraskans to make their voices heard on issues that affect thousands of people. We just wanted to take a second to… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** January 19, 2016 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed Statement in Support of Transitional Health Insurance Program LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould issued the following statement on LB 1032, the Transitional Health Insurance Program Act, introduced today by State Senator John McCollister.… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** January 14, 2016 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nebraska Appleseed issues response to 2016 State of the State Address Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s State of the State Address. “In his State of the… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** September 17, 2015 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org New data: Over 227,000 Nebraskans lived in Poverty in 2014 Census shows poverty has not sharply fallen despite nation’s lowest unemployment rate LINCOLN — The percentage of Nebraskans living in poverty was slightly reduced in 2014 versus… Read more →
When Kait Madsen was looking for ways to get involved on her college campus during her first year at Loyola University in Chicago, she knew she wanted to help others find solutions to problems in their communities. “I’ve always been interested in human rights and making a difference,” she said. That interest sparked a passion for organizing, and led Kait… Read more →
Appleseed is very pleased to welcome Tori Ostenso as Appleseed’s Weitz Fellow working with our Economic Justice & Health Care Access programs. The fellowship is supported by the Weitz Family Foundation of Omaha and places recent Carleton College graduates with non-profits in Lincoln and Omaha for one-year fellowships. At Appleseed, Tori will be doing important work to fight poverty, increase… Read more →
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 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 →
If you’ve followed us on social media this week, you’ve seen us share an impressively researched three-part series from the Scottsbluff Star-Herald on the damaging effects of leaving nearly 77,000 Nebraskans uninsured because Nebraska has not yet expanded Medicaid. Star-Herald reporter Irene North spent six weeks compiling data, interviewing local health officials, and talking to people in Nebraska’s panhandle about… Read more →
One of the cornerstones of our American health care system reached a big milestone today when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Medicaid program. For half a century, Medicaid has improved the lives of millions of Nebraskans by providing essential health coverage to people who need it the most, while also supporting Nebraska’s hospitals and clinics and being a… Read more →
Note: Each year, Nebraska Appleseed is fortunate to work with a number of bright, talented law clerks and interns. This is one of a series of posts that feature Appleseed’s clerks and interns discussing their backgrounds and experiences. Law Clerk Nelly Greenberg is taking her life experiences and her passion for helping people to Nebraska Appleseed’s Health Care program. “As… Read more →
Nebraskans pride themselves on their hard work and the state’s lowest-in-the-nation unemployment rate. Farmers, ranchers, small business owners, and service workers are the foundation of our state’s success and thriving economy. Unfortunately, many of these fundamental jobs don’t provide health insurance, leaving workers without access to care. Marcia McIlheran of Hastings is one of the 77,000 Nebraskans who, despite working… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** June 25, 2015 Contact, James Goddard Health Care Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 jgoddard@neappleseed.org Appleseed Statement on King v. Burwell Ruling Supreme Court decision upholds access to vital health coverage for Nebraskans LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Health Care Director James Goddard issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on… Read more →
SCOTTSBLUFF — It is a more-rugged kind of beauty in the western tip of the state, where the rolling hills and flat plains of eastern Nebraska give way to hints of the nearby Rocky Mountains. As you reach Nebraska’s westernmost counties, portions of earth sharply jump out of the ground as if trying to reach the sky. The geology and… Read more →
May is National Foster Care Month, a time to acknowledge the children and youth who have been involved in foster care systems across the United States, and work to improve the child welfare system. In partnership with the Juvenile Law Center (JLC), we are using the month of May to promote an important opportunity under the Affordable Care Act for… Read more →
5/6/2015 In this May edition of “Appleseed in Action”: Medicaid Redesign Act falls in Legislature Governor’s veto harms poorest families DREAMers driver’s license bill gains statewide support Legislative Update More evidence of crippling injuries in meat and poultry plants Over 100 Nebraska schools eligible to feed all students Primer calls for more accountable funding of child welfare system Medicaid Redesign… Read more →
Today is an important day to take action by asking our U.S. Senators to make children’s health care a priority by extending funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Senate is back from recess today and their first action must be to extend funding for CHIP, a program that provides health coverage for over 55,000 Nebraska children. The… Read more →
Last week was a great example of the ups and downs of our work in the Nebraska Legislature. Medicaid Redesign Act voted down On April 8, the Legislature heard debate on LB 472 – the Medicaid Redesign Act. This important bill would have closed the coverage gap that currently leaves more than 70,000 Nebraskans without access to health coverage.… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** April 8, 2015 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Appleseed Statement on Legislature’s decision not to advance LB 472 LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould released the following statement on the Legislature’s decision not to advance LB 472 – the Medicaid Redesign Act. “Today’s vote was… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** April 8, 2015 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Appleseed urges Legislature to pass LB 472 to close coverage gap Medicaid Redesign Act would enhance healthcare access, boost economy LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould released the following statement in support of LB… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed’s Legislative Update News and Updates from the Nebraska Unicameral April 6, 2015 This is shaping up to be one of the biggest weeks of the Legislative session for Appleseed’s priority bills. Medicaid Redesign Act set for debate Wednesday afternoon, the Legislature will begin debate on LB 472 – the Medicaid Redesign Act. Passing this crucial bill… Read more →
Now is an important time for you to make your voice heard to fix a large hole in our health care system. On Wednesday April 8, the Nebraska Legislature will begin debate on LB 472 – the Medicaid Redesign Act. Passing this crucial bill would make health care make sense for everyone in Nebraska. We’re asking you to act today! Contact… Read more →
This is a guest post from Griffith Swidler, Intern for Nebraska Appleseed’s Health Care Access Program Like most people, I am well aware that it’s tax time and I need to get in gear to file my taxes before April 15th. One thing of which some people might not be so well aware is that filing your taxes now… Read more →
Today, ask our U.S. Representatives to make children’s health care a priority by supporting the bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). On Thursday, Congress will vote to extend funding for CHIP, a program that provides health coverage for over 55,000 Nebraska children. We’re asking you to act TODAY. Contact… Read more →
On March 17, faith leaders converged on the State Capitol to deliver a letter to State Senators signed by more than 170 Nebraska faith leaders calling for the passage of LB 472 – the Medicaid Redesign Act. Rev. Keith Nelson, a retired Lutheran pastor, told reporters that Nebraska clergy viewed the bill, which would help 54,000 working Nebraskans with low… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** March 17, 2015 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Rev. Keith Nelson Omaha Together One Community Clergy Caucus Mobile: 402-304-3648 Email: OTOCforNebraska@gmail.com More than 170 Nebraska faith leaders sign letter of support for Medicaid Redesign Act Faith leaders urge State Senators to pass LB 472 for health… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed’s Legislative Update News and Updates from the Nebraska Unicameral March 16, 2015 Last week, committees met and discussed two of Appleseed’s top priority bills, but we still await action on one of them during this final week of committee hearings. HHS Committee advances LB 472 to the floor On March 10, the Health and Human Services Committee voted… Read more →
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 →
Right now, more than 54,000 working Nebraskans have no way to afford health insurance This coverage gap results in enormous human and financial costs that can no longer be ignored. The Nebraska Legislature can close this coverage gap in 2015 by passing LB 472, and you can make your voice heard! Join us for a lobby day at the Capitol on March 5th… Read more →
At least 74,000 Nebraskans can rest a little bit easier knowing that they are covered by health insurance following the close of the national open enrollment period February 15. The Department of Health and Human Services announced state numbers February 18 and also reported that over 11.4 million individuals signed up nationwide, surpassing the goal set by the White House in… Read more →
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 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 →
This is your weekly Nebraska Legislature update. Committee Hearings last week Appleseed testified on several bills during Legislature committee hearings last week. LB 12 – A bill to streamline the Medicaid process for eligible Nebraskans who enter and leave the criminal justice system. This bill will improve health care access while saving costs in the corrections system. Appleseed testified in… Read more →
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 →
LINCOLN — Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Becky Gould issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s State of the State Address. “We couldn’t agree more with Governor Ricketts when he said Nebraska’s greatest resource is our people, and we echo his spirit of collaboration that we can make a stronger, better state when we work together,” Gould said.… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** Contact: Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org LINCOLN — Today a coalition of more than 20 business, health care, education, faith and community groups issued a joint statement in support of LB 472, introduced today by State Senator Kathy Campbell, that would close the coverage gap that currently leaves more… Read more →
Today, a bill was introduced in the Legislature that would close Nebraska’s health coverage gap and fix a problem that currently inflicts high human and financial costs on our state. We hope you’ll act today to show your support. We’re asking you to contact your state senator and urge them to support LB 472, to make health care make sense for… Read more →
It is clear that there is a demand for affordable, high-quality health insurance here in Nebraska, and in the rest of the country. New data released this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows more than 32,000 Nebraskans have signed up for health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace since the open enrollment period began on… Read more →
New research by two California economists recently highlighted that the United States is doing significantly worse now to protect low-income families from falling into deep poverty than in previous recessions. The research, cited in a new story from Bloomberg View, “Being Poor Is Getting Scarier in the U.S.,” shows the most recent recession that began in 2008 increased the number… Read more →
When Lauren Williams first started down a career path, she thought her work would involve a telescope. But after getting a taste of volunteering on health care issues, she realized there is another way to see the big picture and how it affects people in Nebraska. We’re excited to introduce you to Lauren, who joined Appleseed in December as a… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** December 19, 2014 “500 By The 15th” campaign widely surpasses health insurance enrollment goal Organizations assist nearly 900 Nebraskans in new or renewed coverage plans LINCOLN — A statewide campaign to help at least 500 Nebraskans enroll in health insurance or renew previous plans in the first half of December was a resounding success, Enroll Nebraska… Read more →
For those who signed up for health insurance last enrollment period through Health Insurance Marketplace, plans will be automatically renewed for the upcoming year starting tomorrow. While this makes it easier for individuals to stay covered, most could save money by reviewing their plans and considering switching to a different insurer. According to an article in The New York Times,… Read more →
If you’ve been following the debate around closing the coverage gap that leaves at least 54,000 Nebraskans without health insurance, you may have heard Lincoln resident Amanda Gershon speak. Amanda has been very brave to share her story with state senators and the public. She has an unknown autoimmune disease that leaves her unable to work as much as she… Read more →
On December 2, Nebraska state senators again witnessed the high human and financial cost our state is paying by not closing the coverage gap that leaves at least 54,000 working people unable to get health insurance. The Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee convened for a hearing on interim study LR 601 to study the effects of implementing or failing… Read more →
News and Events from Nebraska Appleseed – December 2014 12/3/2014 In this December edition of “Appleseed in Action”: Nebraskans support President’s Administrative Relief Enroll Nebraska launches 500 By the 15th campaign Report shows working Nebraskans fall in coverage gap Nebraska Supreme Court decides important ICWA case Support our fight for justice for families facing hunger President’s Administrative Relief a good… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** December 1, 2014 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org “500 by the 15th” campaign aims to help Nebraskans get health coverage Statewide health care organizations available to provide free assistance Today, community and health care organizations across Nebraska announced the kickoff of a new effort to ensure Nebraskans get… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** December 1, 2014 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org New report shows vast majority of Nebraskans in Coverage Gap are working Nearly three-quarters of those unable to get health coverage have held jobs in past year LINCOLN — A new report released today by Families USA, the national… Read more →
For Immediate Release Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 Email: jsheldon@neappleseed.org Appleseed report offers solutions to increase stability for families and workforce Despite high workforce participation, many Nebraska families struggle to meet basic needs LINCOLN — Strong, productive workers and families are the backbone of Nebraska’s communities and our economy. Unfortunately, many… Read more →
October 1st, Appleseed was proud to welcome the newest member of our team when Eric Savaiano joined us as a Program Associate with our Health Care and Economic Justice programs. Eric comes to us from Nashville, Tenn., where he previously worked at an educational nonprofit called the PENCIL Foundation as a Family Resource Center Director at a large, diverse, public… Read more →
Medicaid is vital to the wellbeing of many Nebraskans with disabilities. Unfortunately, this critical health insurance program is often poorly understood and stigmatized. The “Medicaid Works” photo project promotes an accurate picture of the many ways this essential program supports thousands of Nebraskans every day. View the entire “Medicaid Works” photo project. With support from the Nebraska Planning Council on… Read more →
This week the Urban Institute released a fiscal study of the effects felt by states that have not chosen to fully implement the Affordable Care Act by expanding Medicaid to people who make up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. This study shows us just how much it’s costing Nebraska’s health care system to continue to forgo expanding… Read more →
It’s not every day that your cup of coffee can support justice for all, but it can during the month of July! Appleseed is excited to renew our community partnership throughout the month of July with our friends at Urban Abbey, a nonprofit coffee shop, bookstore, and faith community in Omaha. Stop in and grab a cup of coffee or… Read more →
Last week, I traveled around central Nebraska, reaching out to and meeting new organizations and individuals doing outreach and enrollment work for the Affordable Care Act. I am working to expand the Enroll Nebraska coalition with the goal to make it a truly statewide network, connecting organizations to resources and to one another. As I met with people along the… Read more →
The results are out for one of the first, large-scale studies of how increased access to health care affects health outcomes, and while it may seem to be a no-brainer, the evidence supports what health care advocates long have been saying. Increasing people’s access to health insurance – and by extension, health care – absolutely saves lives. The study was… Read more →
Opponents of the Affordable Care Act have tried to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the law despite more than 8 million Americans – and 43,000 Nebraskans – signing up for private coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace during the first ACA enrollment period. One of their common complaints is that many Americans with nongroup coverage not provided by their… Read more →
***For Immediate Release*** May 1, 2014 Contact, Jeff Sheldon Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed Office: (402) 438-8853 Mobile: (402) 840-7289 jsheldon@neappleseed.org Nearly 43,000 Nebraskans newly insured through Health Insurance Marketplace Nebraska exceeds goal set by feds in health coverage enrollment under Affordable Care Act LINCOLN — Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported nearly 43,000 Nebraskans enrolled… Read more →
A big congratulations is in order for all of the organizations and individuals who worked tirelessly throughout our state to make the first Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period a success! As of Monday, March 31st, 7.1 million people across the country have successfully enrolled in private coverage through the federally run Health Insurance Marketplace or their state equivalent. This… Read more →
Rebecca Cech from Bellwood, Neb., found herself in a dangerous coverage gap that left her unable to afford health insurance. She is self-employed, made an income too high to qualify for Medicaid and too low to afford private insurance…or so she thought. Rebecca knew she could not go uninsured. She has severe asthma and regularly uses two different medications plus… Read more →
Last week, a group of state senators left 54,000 uninsured Nebraskans without a path to health care coverage when they filibustered LB 887 – the Wellness In Nebraska Act that would have helped Nebraskan with low incomes get affordable health insurance. But Wednesday, state senators who have shown leadership on health care access joined advocates at the State Capitol for… Read more →
Twenty-four-year-old Selene Cruz of Gering, NE recently lost access to Medicaid coverage because her income rose when she began working two jobs to better provide for her children. At the time, she had a prescription refill coming up. Selene has severe fibromyalgia, and her medication would cost her more than $800 each month without insurance. On top of that, she… Read more →
Sharlette Schwenninger is self employed and had been purchasing her own health insurance for five years. Every year, her premiums had been rising, but due to her own health concerns, she had always felt she needed a higher-premium plan. The insurance plan she had at the time had become very expensive outside of the Health Insurance Marketplace, so she decided… Read more →
“This is an issue about people’s health. This is an issue about the future of our country. Health care is the largest rising cost. This is the one thing that can devastate an economy. Health care is going to be the issue of the next 10 years.” That’s Larry Tarkington, a 54-year-old Omaha man who knows the everyday fear of… Read more →
Today’s failure to pass the Wellness in Nebraska Act hurts 54,000 of our hard-working families, neighbors, and friends, who now must continue to live and suffer without proper access to health care by having no options for affordable insurance,” Gould said. “This decision also hurts our state, by missing the opportunity to make real and positive improvements in our broader… Read more →
26-year-old Sara Tangdall teaches part-time as an adjunct English composition professor in the Omaha-metro area. Because she does not have a full-time position, she was unable to get insurance through her job, so she decided to check out the Health Insurance Marketplace. Having insurance for Sara is critical because she has severe asthma and allergies and requires prescriptions that, without… Read more →
As the Nebraska Legislature debates LB 887 – the “Wellness In Nebraska Act” – today we’ll introduce you to the real, everyday Nebraskans who would be helped by the health care access in this bill. Check back throughout the day to meet more of our friends and neighbors who need WIN to pass so they can afford life-saving health care.… Read more →
Adam Witte, 31, of Omaha had been purchasing private insurance on the individual market for the last several years, but he admits he was not exactly in love with the customer service experience of his old insurance company. “First the number would disconnect me after being on hold for 45 minutes,” Adam said. “So I tried a different number and… Read more →
Katie Nungesser saw daily the relief – and sometimes tears – on people’s faces when she informed them they will be able to afford health insurance, in many cases for the first time ever. Until recently Katie, 28, worked as a certified Navigator with the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska in Lincoln, helping people discover their health insurance options in the… Read more →
Katie Nungesser saw daily the relief – and sometimes tears – on people’s faces when she informed them they will be able to afford health insurance, in many cases for the first time ever. Until recently Katie, 28, worked as a certified Navigator with the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska in Lincoln, helping people discover their health insurance options in the… Read more →
We’ve told you LB 887, the Wellness In Nebraska Act, will help at least 54,000 uninsured Nebraskans get access to necessary health care. That’s a big number, but each one of those numbers is a person. So we’d like you to meet a few of the Nebraskans who would be helped by LB 887 and hear in their own words… Read more →
News and Updates from the Nebraska Unicameral February 25, 2014 This marks the halfway point of the 2014 Legislative session and this is the final week of committee hearings at the Capitol. Several of Appleseed’s priority bills are on the move and now is a pivotal time for you to take action. Wellness In Nebraska bill moves to the floor… Read more →
In the remaining eight weeks of the legislative session, we have a real chance to make sure all Nebraskans have access to health care coverage, and none of our family members, friends or neighbors are left behind. Yesterday, the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee moved LB 887 – the Wellness In Nebraska Act – to the floor of the… Read more →
As October 16th neared, Omaha resident Mike Nellis knew he would not only be celebrating his 26th birthday—he would also lose access to his parents’ health insurance. As a small business owner, Mike couldn’t afford to provide insurance for himself through his company. He knew he would have to seek out options on his own. Because of the initial difficulties… Read more →
Did you know that the deadline to sign up for health insurance in the new Marketplace is fast approaching? Those who do not select a plan by March 31 may end up being subject to a penalty if they do not have qualifying insurance from another source. According to a recent survey, only about 45 percent of those surveyed correctly… Read more →
One of the most beneficial pieces of the Affordable Care Act that is often overlooked is the importance the ACA gives to mental health. Mental health coverage is one of the 10 essential health benefits that new insurance policies must cover according to the ACA. That provision already is helping Nebraskans. Last weekend, Cathryn Reed of St. Edward, Neb., wrote… Read more →
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported this week Nebraska is in the top 20 of states in enrolling people in health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. According to DHHS figures, 14,464 Nebraskans have purchased private plans through the Marketplace. That number is 77 percent of the goal set for the state by the Centers… Read more →
Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould released the following statement on LB 887, which would help more working Nebraskans get access to affordable health care coverage. “A strong economy, a productive workforce, and a thriving future for our state all depend on having a health care system that works for all Nebraskans. LB 887 would provide health insurance to… Read more →
A couple years ago, Phil Jarrett, a young professional in Omaha, found out that his medical costs didn’t stop once he got done paying for surgery. That was the year Phil spent nearly half of his annual income on medical bills – even with health insurance provided by his employer. “My old plans wouldn’t cover items relating to pre-existing conditions… Read more →
Omaha resident Carol Windrum remembers the fear of not knowing if you were going to get what you paid for in the days before the Affordable Care Act. Carol had survived cancer, but because of the disease, it was difficult for her to find affordable insurance through the private market. She was only able to get expensive health care coverage… Read more →
A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund looked at the access and affordability of health care for adults in 11 countries, including the United States. The results don’t speak well for us here in the USA when stacked up against other developed nations. The survey found that adults in the U.S. were more likely than peers in other countries to… Read more →
One of the cost-saving measures in the Affordable Care Act was the reduction in disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments to the states. DSH payments are federal money that goes to hospitals serving a large (or disproportionate) number of uninsured or underinsured patients, to offset those costs. The ACA was constructed so DSH payments wouldn’t be needed anymore because nearly everyone… Read more →
Today, Veterans Day, we honor the women and men of our armed forces who have sacrificed much to defend our country. Not only should we honor these men and women, we must support them too. That means ensuring they have access to opportunities and security after their time of service ends. Currently, 1 in 10 veterans of our armed forces… Read more →
There has been a lot of talk and excitement recently about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will be fully implemented starting January 1, 2014. While the ACA goes a long way in providing Nebraskans with access to affordable and comprehensive coverage, there are a few lesser-known provisions. In particular, youth who age out of foster care will be eligible… Read more →
The new health insurance marketplace opens on October 1 and will offer a great opportunity to understand new health insurance options, shop around for the best prices and benefits, and choose the plan that’s best for you and your family, even if you have health care coverage already. What You Should Know You don’t have to stick with your current… Read more →
Beginning October 1, those who have been denied health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition will be able to sign up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s new health insurance Marketplace. That coverage will begin January 1, 2014. Until now, the Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool in Nebraska (or CHIP) has been the only option for Nebraskans who couldn’t… Read more →
Open enrollment is just around the corner. Beginning October 1, many of those who are uninsured and don’t have access to health care coverage through their employer can purchase coverage in the new health insurance marketplace. And, in fact, a new study suggests almost half of those eligible for coverage in the new marketplace will pay less than $100 per… Read more →
As a New York Times article points out, the new health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act offer those who are nearing retirement age more options. Currently, someone who might be contemplating retirement might choose to delay until they are eligible for Medicare at age 65. Those who retire prior to age 65 may have a difficult time… Read more →
Two new reports released this week promise relief from high premiums and the anxiety that comes from being uninsured once all provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect January 1, 2014. The Center For Rural Affairs points out that rural Nebraskans will especially benefit from the premium tax credits and cost sharing subsidies that will be available in the… Read more →
We’ve been saying for the last couple years how effective the Affordable Care Act will be at allowing more Nebraskans to get access to health care, and we continue to be a strong supporter of LB 577, the bill to expand Medicaid in our state. Last week, a pair of reports were released that validated why we continue to work… Read more →
Do you work with an organization that serves low-income families? Do you have questions about how the Affordable Care Act will affect the people you serve and how they can enroll in health coverage this fall? Join Appleseed and Enroll Nebraska this Thursday morning at Urban Abbey for a coffee and Q&A on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and learn… Read more →
Do you work with an organization that serves low-income families? Do you have questions about how the Affordable Care Act will affect the people you serve and how they can enroll in health coverage this fall? Join Appleseed and Enroll Nebraska on Thursday, July 25 at Urban Abbey for a Q&A on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and learn about… Read more →
It’s not every day that your cup of coffee can support justice for all, but it can during the month of July! Our friends at Urban Abbey, a nonprofit coffee shop, bookstore, and faith community in Omaha, selected Nebraska Appleseed to be its nonprofit community partner of the month for the month of July! Stop in and grab a cup… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed was honored when we were offered the opportunity several months ago to participate in a new art exhibit at the Sheldon Museum of Art on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The “Marketplace of Community Values” is a unique opportunity for 12 local nonprofit organizations to partner with nationally acclaimed artists to create displays that help the community better… Read more →
There are days when we at Nebraska Appleseed are especially proud of the work we do and the wonderful friends, partners, and supporters who we stand with. Yesterday was one of those days when 300 supporters gathered at the State Capitol to show their support for LB 577, the bill that would extend Medicaid to 54,000 uninsured Nebraskans, bring more… Read more →
Today is the day! Give a gift to Appleseed at this link any time before midnight and your gift will be matched to a $200,000 challenge match pool! This is one of the best opportunities to join us and amplify our efforts fighting for justice and opportunity for all! Give to Lincoln Day, organized by the Lincoln Community Foundation, is… Read more →
Today is the day to make your voice heard and stand with 54,000 uninsured Nebraskans! Join us on the west steps of the Nebraska State Capitol today at 5:30 for a public rally to show state senators you believe LB 577 deserves a vote! A small group of state senators is blocking a vote on a bill in the Legislature… Read more →
The politics of obstruction is not the way we make policy in Nebraska. But, a small group of senators is preventing a vote on a bill in the Legislature that will help our working families get access to health care and boost our state’s economy. Make your voice heard tomorrow! Join us on the west steps of the Nebraska State… Read more →
With a small group of opponents obstructing a bill in the Legislature that will help our working families get access to health care and boost our state’s economy, it’s time to make your voice heard! Join us on the west steps of the Nebraska State Capitol on Wednesday, May 15 at 5:30 for a public rally to show state senators… Read more →
Today, we’re asking all our supporters to take a moment to help bring LB 577 to a vote and help 54,000 uninsured, working Nebraskans to get health care coverage while returning $2.3 billion to our state’s economy. A small group of state senators are preventing this bill from coming up for a vote. That is not how important decisions should… Read more →
A crucial piece of legislation is being obstructed in the Legislature. We need your help! LB 577, the bill that would extend Medicaid coverage, would help 54,000 uninsured, working Nebraskans get access to health care. It would provide security to our rural hospitals, our working families, and our veterans. It is beneficial to our economy, returning $2.3 billion to our… Read more →
One of the myths that has been circulating about the impact of the Affordable Care Act is that it will force insurance rates to go up sharply. A new fact sheet from Community Catalyst dispels those myths. Some things to remember when considering the impact that the ACA will have on private insurance premiums: Because insurers will not be allowed… Read more →
A new policy paper from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities offers an excellent overview of Medicaid, the state-federal partnership program that provides health care coverage to millions of low-income children and adults. The data is clear – Medicaid is a cost-effective program that saves lives and money. Some of the highlights from the report include: Expansions of Medicaid… Read more →
Today is a proud day for Nebraska, the home of Arbor Day and the notion that when we all work together planting and nurturing trees, we can truly create dramatic, positive changes to our landscape. At Nebraska Appleseed, we share that belief. When a group of Nebraskans comes together to plant and nurture the seeds of justice and opportunity, we… Read more →
There was much hand-wringing earlier this week from opponents of LB 577, the bill that would implement the new, extended Medicaid program in Nebraska, when it was announced the federal government would be reducing its funding for our state’s existing Medicaid program by $8 million next year. Opponents would love to use this reduction as a sign of the instability… Read more →
The new Medicaid program offers Nebraska a way to provide health care to tens of thousands of people in our state who need it most. Next week, lawmakers will debate LB 577, which would implement the new Medicaid program in Nebraska. But why Medicaid? Basically, because Medicaid is the most cost-effective means of insuring low-income individuals and families. We know… Read more →
Take Action to Support Important Bills in Legislature Last week the Legislature did not debate any of Appleseed’s priority bills. But this week a key child welfare bill is on the agenda. So your senators need to hear from you on a number of important bills this week. Vital transition services for youth aging out of foster care scheduled for… Read more →
On January 1, 2014 several important provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will start being enforced. Some of these provisions directly benefit former foster care youth so it is important for advocates and professionals working with youth in foster care to understand the pertinent eligibility criteria so they can successfully help youth access health care as they transition out… Read more →
A new survey released today conducted by AARP Nebraska shows the majority of Nebraskans support the new Medicaid program, implemented by LB 577, which would provide health care access to at least 54,000 uninsured people in our state. AARP Nebraska released the results of the survey at a press conference today at the State Capitol. The survey, which polled 600… Read more →
Bills Coming out of Committee LB 577 – It was wonderful news for the health of Nebraska’s people and economy when this bill, which would implement the Affordable Care Act’s new Medicaid program in our state, was advanced out of the Health and Human Services Committee this week. LB 577 is a good opportunity and a real solution to provide… Read more →
Here is your weekly Legislative Update from Nebraska Appleseed. Wage subsidy program a win-win for Nebraska businesses and workers LB 368 – This bill, introduced by Senator Sue Crawford, would create a subsidized employment pilot program within the Department of Health and Human Services, which would allow employers to grow their businesses and allow low-income workers to gain meaningful job… Read more →
If you’ve been a follower of Appleseed for very long at all, you will have gathered one of our biggest priorities is making sure every Nebraskan has the ability to see a doctor when they or their families become sick or injured. Yesterday, Appleseed was proud to testify in support of LB 577, Senator Kathy Campbell’s bill that would implement… Read more →
We know Medicaid already works in Nebraska, helping children and low-income working families to see a doctor when they get sick. It works for our state’s economy too, with studies estimating every dollar spent on Medicaid eventually produces at least seven dollars for our local economy. Now, we have a great opportunity to embrace a real solution to provide health… Read more →
Last week was a busy week in the Nebraska Legislature as bill introduction finished up Wednesday, January 23. Several significant bills that Appleseed sees as priorities were introduced, as well as other bills Appleseed has a great interest in. ACA’s Medicaid program provides for a healthier Nebraska workforce and economy LB 577 – Wednesday, Senator Kathy Campbell, along with 11 co-sponsors,… Read more →
Today, Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca Gould made the following statement on LB 577, the legislative bill that would implement the Affordable Care Act’s new Medicaid program in Nebraska. “LB 577 is a tremendous step toward ensuring the future health of Nebraskans. The bill ensures that we take advantage of the opportunity to provide access to health care to at least 54,000… Read more →
As state Legislatures come back into session this month and budget discussions begin, the new Medicaid option under the Affordable Care Act is gaining momentum. In the past week alone, the governors of Arizona and North Dakota, who both had previously spoken out against the ACA, included the new Medicaid plan in their budgets because of the economic benefits that… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Becky Gould issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s State of the State Address today. “This morning, Governor Heineman laid out his priorities for the next year in his State of the State Address. We agree that the State of Nebraska is strong and a great place to live. Because of this, we are… Read more →
The Center for Rural Affairs recently released a new report on health insurance coverage in Nebraska. The report highlights the need for full implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Nebraska, including the new Medicaid program. Our rural counties have higher rates of uninsured, as well as poorer health outcomes, than our cities. The new Medicaid program could cut the… Read more →
On Wednesday, the 1st session of the 103rd Nebraska Legislature will be convened at the state Capitol. In the session, our lawmakers will hear debate and vote on bills that address a number of vital issues in our state. Nebraska Appleseed is excited for the chance to work with our leaders to fight for equal justice and opportunity for all… Read more →
This is part of a series looking back on Nebraska Appleseed’s work in 2012. Health care legislation took a prominent place in the news in 2012, and Nebraska Appleseed was on the front lines of the fight to ensure all Nebraskans have access to affordable, quality health care. Restoring prenatal care for all low-income Nebraska children In April, a great… Read more →
This is part of a series looking back on Nebraska Appleseed’s work in 2012. Protecting right to treatment for young children with developmental disabilities In May, Nebraska Appleseed filed a lawsuit on behalf of two children with developmental disabilities who were denied Medicaid coverage of medical treatments despite the treatments being deemed medically necessary by their doctors. Read the petition… Read more →
Linda Manns from Bellevue had health insurance all her life, until she recently lost her job as a certified nurse assistant. Linda has diabetes, which kept her from working mandatory overtime her employer required, which she said resulted in her being let go. Recently, Linda got an infection in her toe. Without health insurance, she couldn’t afford to go to the… Read more →
Last week, we talked about the coverage gap that about 78,000 Nebraskans would fall into if the Legislature chooses not to implement the new Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act. These are Nebraskans that don’t qualify for the current Medicaid program, but don’t make enough to be able to get tax credits to buy health insurance through the Exchange.… Read more →
Today, Governor Heineman announced that the state would default to a federally facilitated exchange in Nebraska. Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Rebecca L. Gould issued the following statement in response: “Now that Nebraska has decided the federal government will facilitate our exchange, Nebraska Appleseed looks forward to working with federal and state officials to ensure the system is focused on the… Read more →
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act this summer was unexpected in that it made one important provision of the law – the ACA’s new Medicaid program – optional for states. This means if Nebraska decides not to implement the Medicaid program, it could create a coverage gap that leaves tens of thousands of Nebraskans without any… Read more →
Do you have questions about the Affordable Care Act – the new federal health care reform law? Wonder how it is already helping Nebraskans and what it could mean for our state in the coming years? If you live in or near York and Seward, you’ll have the chance to get those questions and more answered at a pair of… Read more →
A new study from the Commonwealth Fund, an independent health care policy foundation, confirms an alarming, decade-long decline in the number of employees working in small businesses who receive health insurance from their employers. The report found that in 2010 only 49 percent of workers in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees were offered and eligible for health insurance… Read more →
The Affordable Care Act, the new health care law, has been in effect for more than two years now and many of the consumer protections in the law are already in place. Yet, some confusion remains about the details of what the ACA really does. How could it help you better afford medical care? And what are the next steps… Read more →
“The simple fact is everyone in Nebraska is going to get sick at some time in their life and require medical care. But, not all Nebraskans are able to afford the cost of a trip to the doctor.” This is the start of an editorial in today’s Lincoln Journal Star written by Jennifer Carter, director of Appleseed’s Health Care Access… Read more →
The Affordable Care Act, the new health care law, has been in effect for more than two years now and many of the consumer protections in the law are already in place. Yet, some confusion remains about the details of what the ACA really does. How could it help you better afford medical care? And what are the next steps… Read more →
The Affordable Care Act is already helping thousands of Nebraskans, and will help even more with full implementation of the law in 2014. Nebraska Appleseed has created a new fact sheet that explains the basics of the law, including the current consumer protections in effect, how you’ll be protected in the future, and the ways that the ACA makes health care… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed is out and about in the community this week to participate in a pair of community events about the Affordable Care Act. On Wednesday night, join us for either a presentation in Lincoln or a panel discussion in Omaha. OMAHA Wednesday, October 17 from 7-9pm “Myth & Reality: Explaining the Affordable Care Act (ACA)” Jewish Community Center Social… Read more →
The Center For Rural Affairs released a new report Monday that examines the effect a new Medicaid program would have on Nebraska’s rural communities. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) gives states the opportunity to provide coverage to low-income residents under age 65 through a new Medicaid program with significant federal assistance. The report, New Medicaid Initiative in Nebraska: The Rural… Read more →
This is one of a series of posts from Appleseed’s summer law clerks discussing their experiences at Nebraska Appleseed It is fair to say that my two years as a clerk for Nebraska Appleseed reached it’s highest point this summer when the Affordable Care Act was upheld on June 28, 2012. I spent the first part of this summer looking… Read more →
The Department of Insurance is holding a public meeting tonight in Omaha where you will have the chance to weigh in on what a health insurance exchange – or marketplace – would look like in Nebraska and how it would work for consumers. This is your opportunity to make your voice heard and to ask any questions you might have!… Read more →
This morning, Governor Heineman invited a broad range of consumer advocates to give testimony on the creation of a state-based health insurance exchange in Nebraska. Nebraska Appleseed was one of the organizations that offered testimony – expressing our hopes that a state exchange will be focused on the consumer and increase access and affordability of coverage. The Affordable Care Act… Read more →
In the discussions about how to fix our broken health care system, much has been made on how much it would cost the state to take up the Affordable Care Act’s new Medicaid guidelines. But an editorial in today’s Lincoln Journal Star shines a light on the huge cost of uncompensated care that hospitals and insurance companies pass on to… Read more →
As Nebraska moves forward in implementing the Affordable Care Act, a crucial part is in the creation of an Exchange, and it is imperative that your voice is heard! The Exchange will serve thousands of Nebraskans, and will be the place many access health insurance and get premium tax credits. As a result, it is critical that the exchange focus… Read more →
Today, the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Center for Health Policy released a report examining the potential economic impact the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) new Medicaid program would have on Nebraska. The results paint a clear picture that the state would receive significant returns on an investment made in the good health and well-being of its citizens through this new… Read more →
The Affordable Care Act requires certain women’s preventive health services to be made available without cost-sharing for plan years beginning on or after August 1. There has been a lot of media coverage on this provision, but the National Health Law Program has a great Q&A to answer all your questions on what services are covered, and whether your insurance… Read more →
54% of Nebraska’s uninsured population with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level could gain access to health insurance through an expanded Medicaid program. Read more →
In this edition of “Appleseed in Action”: Health Reform: Quality, affordable and constitutional health care for all; Arizona’s SB1070: Socially toxic and unconstitutional; Lilly Ledbetter in Omaha: One Woman’s Battle for Justice; You’re Welcome in Omaha!; Take Action: Opportunity for DREAMers Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed applauds the U.S. Supreme Court ruling today finding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act legal and constitutional. “Today is a great day for Nebraskans and the future health of our country, our families, and our friends and neighbors,” said Rebecca Gould, Executive Director at Nebraska Appleseed. “This is the right legal result and means the benefits that… Read more →
A recent article in The New York Times features several Lincoln residents, among others, who have a lot to lose if the Affordable Care Act is struck down by the Supreme Court on Thursday. Many insurance companies refuse to sell to those who have pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions can be anything from a chronic illness to an allergy you had years… Read more →
Yesterday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that 12.8 million Americans will benefit from $1.1 billion in rebates from insurance companies this summer, because of the Affordable Care Act’s 80/20 rule. Nebraskans are expected to receive $4.8 million in rebates. More than 46,000 people will get a rebate, with an average of $215 per family. These rebates… Read more →
A recent Health Affairs blog post discusses possible implications for the Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Each of the Court’s possible rulings was given a Richter Scale rating based on how great a “ground shift” it would cause. Read the full post at Health Affairs The Richter Scale is a great shorthand for understanding… Read more →
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release its decision on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act later this month, which means that now is a good time to review the questions and possible outcomes. Kaiser Health News has an excellent chart, released last November, describing the questions, how they’re related, and potential outcomes. Like many others, Nebraska Appleseed… Read more →
NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health recently conducted a poll to get a sense of what being sick inside the U.S. healthcare system is really like. You can read the story or listen to the report, or view the poll results. Notably, three-quarters of those surveyed who had a serious medical condition or… Read more →
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of people are expected to receive checks from their insurance companies this year. Kaiser Health News estimates that insurance companies will be sending $1.3 billion back to consumers under a provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance carriers to spend 80-85% of premium dollars on actual health care costs rather than administrative… Read more →
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released a report that measured state-level changes in access to health care between 2000 and 2010. The report looks at the likelihood of having unmet medical needs due to cost, the likelihood of receiving a routine checkup, and receiving a dental visit, and it found that there had been a deterioration in access to care… Read more →
A new study released on April 19, by the Commonwealth Fund underscores the necessity of having insurance, and the difficulties of navigating the individual market: Approximately one-quarter of adults between the ages of 19 and 64 experienced a significant gap in their health insurance coverage in 2011, and compared to those who had continuous coverage, they were less likely to have… Read more →
Yesterday was a great day for Nebraska’s children. The Legislature voted 30-16 to override the Governor’s veto of LB 599 and restore Nebraska’s decades-long policy of providing prenatal care and prioritizing the health of Nebraska children. Thank you for calling and emailing throughout this debate. Being engaged in this process truly made a huge difference! We also must thank the 30 senators… Read more →
VIGIL TO RESTORE PRENATAL CARE TODAY: Wednesday, April 11, 5pm Help ensure that all Nebraska babies have the chance at a healthy start in life. Join us! Wednesday, April 11 5pm-6pm State Capitol, Lincoln (West side of the capitol building – at the statue of Lincoln – 14th Street & Lincoln Mall.) The effort to restore prenatal care is… Read more →
The Nebraska Legislature is on the verge of passing LB 599, a bill to restore prenatal care to all low-income children. For decades the State of Nebraska maintained the wise and fiscally smart health policy to provide prenatal health coverage and ensured that all children had a chance at having a healthy start to life. Our state’s investment in prenatal… Read more →
There has been a good deal of activity at the Legislature on Appleseed’s priority issues since the last update. Here is a quick summary: “Green Lights” In the Capitol’s legislative chamber, there is a large sign listing each Senator’s name. When a Senator votes in favor of a bill, a light next to their name turns bright green. “Green Lights”… Read more →
Wednesday was the third and final day of arguments at the Supreme Court on the Affordable Care Act. There were two main questions: If the Court were to find the individual responsibility provision (which was the focus of Tuesday’s arguments) unconstitutional, does that mean the entire ACA law must be struck down or does it mean only the individual responsibility… Read more →
Our apologies for not getting this post up sooner, but as you can see, it’s been busy around here! As you’ll recall, challengers of the Affordable Care Act are claiming that the federal government does not have the power to require people to purchase health insurance. Today, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on this question. (You can hear the… Read more →
Yesterday was the first day of arguments at the Supreme Court on the challenge to the Affordable Care Act. (The transcript and audio recording are available.) Monday’s argument involved the question of whether the Supreme Court could even rule on the case at this point. There is a federal law called the Anti-Injunction Act which says you can’t challenge a “tax” until… Read more →
On Monday, March 26, the United States Supreme Court will begin to hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This case is one of the most important to be heard in recent memory, and the Supreme Court has set aside an unprecedented amount of time over three days for arguments on… Read more →
To say that Jerusha Hancock is happy to be settled in as Nebraska Appleseed’s Staff Attorney for the Health Care Access Program might be an understatement. “I’ve moved 17 times in 25 years, so I’ll let you do the math,” she jokes. After completing her undergraduate degree at UNL, Jerusha took a break from Nebraska life to earn a Masters… Read more →
Two years ago today, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, representing a significant step toward health care reform. The purpose of the ACA was to make healthcare accessible and affordable for the millions of Americans without health insurance, and many Nebraskans are already benefitting from the reform measures that have gone into effect… Read more →
March 23, 2012, marks the second anniversary of the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In response, Rebecca L. Gould, Executive Director of Nebraska Appleseed issued this statement: “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was an historic step forward in addressing the inequalities and inefficiencies in our health care system. Over the last two years, tens… Read more →
This list comes from our friends at The National Health Law Program – securing health rights for those in need. 1. ALREADY IN PLACE: Prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, and disability The ACA extended the nondiscrimination protections of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Age Discrimination Act… Read more →
My name is Brian Schnieder, and I’m part of the ambassador family for the March of Dimes in Omaha, Nebraska. Seven years ago, my son Jackson was born prior to twenty-five weeks. My wife had a medical condition that was undetected until she was further along in her pregnancy. He was born weighing one pound, one ounce, and was small… Read more →
The state’s child welfare system is in great need of reform. A vital piece of ensuring reform is effective is to prevent children from entering the system unnecessarily. LB 1063 is intended to address gaps in Medicaid services for children, which needlessly push children into the system to obtain the mental health services they need. Indeed, LB 1063 makes certain the Medicaid program plays its… Read more →
It all began when Trisha Thompson landed an internship here at Nebraska Appleseed. “I started interning on the intake line at Appleseed last summer and pretty much fell in love with it,” said Trisha. After graduating with her B.S. in psychology from Peru State College, Trisha is happy to be officially on board at Appleseed serving as our new Intake… Read more →
The 2012 Legislative session is off to a fast and furious start. We are already a third of the way through this short (60 day) session and Nebraska Appleseed is working on more bills than ever before. We’d like to highlight some of the key issues we are working on in our programs and give you an opportunity to get… Read more →
On February 1, the Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing on LB 1041 and LB 1016. Both of these bills are intended to address problems with the ACCESS Nebraska system. Appleseed supports both of these bills. LB 1041 would streamline HHS systems to make them more efficient and effective for everyone. LB 1016 would provide resources to community… Read more →
LB 1090 will help children access the food they need in the summertime to learn and grow. Providing access to healthy, nutritious foods is important for children’s health. The Summer Food Service Program provides federally funded meals to sites at nonprofit organizations, schools, and other locations to reach hungry children in the summer when free and reduced price meals are… Read more →
On Monday, Nebraska Appleseed’s Executive Director testified at the Appropriations Committee in response to the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services’ appropriation request. Appleseed believes that DHHS’s budget must invest in and protect low-income children and families’ needs. [DDET Appleseed Testimony] Senator Lavon Heidemann Chair, Appropriations Committee State Capitol, Room 1004 Lincoln, NE 68509 Re: Agency 25, Department of… Read more →
Yesterday, the message from consumer advocates, providers, and insurance carriers/producers was clear: we should move forward next legislative session and consider legislation to create a state-based exchange. Several groups, including Nebraska Appleseed, testified in front of the Nebraska Legislature’s Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee, along with some members of the Health and Human Services Committee, during a public hearing on… Read more →
The holidays are a time of year when our thoughts turn to people who are struggling in our communities. It’s a time of year when we are not only thinking of the needs of our friends and neighbors, but also of the reasons behind their difficulties, and hoping for a year ahead with new possibilities and opportunities for family success.… Read more →
As the New York Times reported on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will decide the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in this current term, with a decision probably due by June 2012. The central issue that will be decided by the Court is whether Congress had the authority to create the ACA’s Individual Repsonsibility Provision,… Read more →
On Thursday, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is the comprehensive health reform law signed into law by President Obama in March 2010. The 2-1 Court of Appeals decision joins dozens of other lawsuits challenging the ACA that have been dismissed because either they found… Read more →
This summer, I met up with Omaha graphic designer Justin Kemerling of The Match Factory to discuss an idea for an Appleseed art exhibit. We’ve worked with Justin on a number of Appleseed projects – most recently our Voices from Fremont poster exhibit chronicling how residents witnessed a sense of division, hostility, and suspicion in Fremont since the town passed a restrictive immigration ordinance in 2010. Justin’s work… Read more →
Do the new census figures reflecting that one child in five in Nebraska struggles with poverty worry you? Have you followed recent child welfare system developments with concern? Do you think that access to prenatal care should be available to all who need it to protect the health of mothers and babies? The newspaper headlines in our state have been… Read more →
Reports indicate that Governor Heineman has decided that the state should wait to fully implement a state-based exchange until the United States Supreme Court has ruled on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is critical that the state pass enabling legislation during the next legislative session to allow the state to create a state-based health… Read more →
I spent a very enjoyable summer working as a law clerk for Nebraska Appleseed. I have always admired the values this organization holds, yet never completely understood the work they do until I was given the opportunity to be a part of it. I spent the summer working primarily on health care access issues; an area I have gained a… Read more →
On Thursday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed two constitutional challenges to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), finding that both plaintiffs lacked the requisite standing to challenge the law. Out of the other four other circuits have that have ruled on ACA challenges, only one other (the 11th Circuit) has decided (in a 2-1 opinion) that the individual responsibility… Read more →
It has become cliche to talk about the children as our future. It is more likely to conjure up a 1980s ballad rather than the obvious truism that underlies the statement. But John Cavanaugh and Building Bright Futures (BBF) have recognized the basic truth that if we create or leave in place barriers to a good and productive future for… Read more →
Our friends at Families USA have been fighting for quality, affordable health care for consumers for a long time. They understand how long the road was to the Affordable Care Act. More importantly, they have years of experience and the perspective to understand that court rulings like the one from the 11th Circuit on August 12th finding the individual responsibility… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed is excited to announce that Pastor Janet Goodman-Banks of Lincoln will receive the inaugural Roots of Justice Award. Janet, a nurse and former coal miner, has been one of Appleseed’s strongest community allies in the historic push for comprehensive health reform. Janet’s story of being diagnosed with stage II breast cancer and struggling with her health insurer to… Read more →
Earlier this spring, a number of us at Appleseed got to talking about how fortunate we’ve been these past fifteen years to work alongside so many great community volunteers who push for a more just and equitable Nebraska. Many of our best community education and legislative efforts have succeeded in concert with grassroots volunteers all across our state – expanding… Read more →
As a follow-up to a report released in early June, eight Nebraska advocacy organizations representing consumer interests put forward a set of principles concerning governance and oversight within a Nebraska health insurance exchange. These principles are designed to help guide the conversation that will take place among legislators and state officials in the coming months.The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires… Read more →
We all know that a lower income means more struggles for families. Families with greater economic resources are not only able to better provide important inputs into their children’s development such as nutritious meals, safe neighborhoods, and higher-quality educations, but higher incomes have also been shown to improve parent’s psychological well-being and parental interactions with children. However, public perceptions remain… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed joined organizations from across the state Tuesday to urge the President and Nebraska’s federal representatives in Washington to develop a budget that reflects Nebraska values. In a Statement of Principles, Nebraska organizations called on the President and Congress to address the federal deficit while also protecting vulnerable Americans and economic security. It is important that we are speaking… Read more →
Our good friends at the Center for Rural Affairs released a report this week that examines how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will revive and sustain small towns, farms and ranches. As Nebraska gears up for implementing the final crucial pieces of the ACA, this report provides valuable information concerning Nebraska’s unique urban-rural makeup. The issues discussed in this report… Read more →
Economists at Harvard and MIT recently examined the question of whether the expansion of Medicaid coverage under new health reform laws will translate into medical care that people need. The outcome? The results were encouraging, providing evidence that Medicaid does indeed make a very positive impact on the lives of recipients. Medicaid, a federal-state program for low-income and severely disabled… Read more →
As Nebraska gears up for planning and creating a health insurance exchange as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), nine Nebraska advocacy organizations representing consumer interests put forward a set of principles designed to help guide the conversation that will take place among legislators and state officials in the coming months. The Affordable Care Act requires… Read more →
In April 2011, the Legislature passed LB 465. This new law changes eligibility for some public benefit programs for certain lawful permanent residents. A lawful permanent resident (LPR) is an immigrant with a green card, who is legally admitted to the U.S. to live and work on a permanent basis. Below is a Q&A to help you understand who is… Read more →
At Appleseed we have long worked on programs that help people work. Often called “work supports,” these are the things in our lives that make it possible for us to go to work and maintain our jobs. One clear example is child care. Having a safe place for our children to go while we work – whether that is a… Read more →
Today’s blog post focuses on how young adults benefit from reforms in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was signed into law one year ago this week. As of September 2010, the ACA required all health plans that provide dependent coverage for children to allow parents to keep their adult children who meet certain eligibility criteria on… Read more →
Lately it has seemed that we have gone down a surprising road in Nebraska where pregnant women and babies are fair game in the political arena. The heartbreaking decision by the state to terminate prenatal care for unborn children is having devastating consequences across the state. Doctors, nurses, and health clinics have repeatedly testified since last fall about the number… Read more →
Co-Authored by George Lyford Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). In that year, we have already seen thousands of Nebraskans begin to benefit from some of the reform measures that went into place last September. FamiliesUSA recently released some new data on how the ACA is already helping people in Nebraska. They… Read more →
There are encouraging new statistics out today showing how provisions of the Affordable Care Act are helping Nebraska seniors access the medications they need. AARP released this statement late today: AARP: New Report Shows Progress of Health Care Law for Nebraskans in Medicare’s “Doughnut Hole” LINCOLN–New data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows the impact of… Read more →
One year ago on Wednesday, President Obama signed into law a historic package of health reforms that has already begun to improve the state of health care in Nebraska and all over the United States. In honor of this momentous achievement, we will be blogging on some of the most notable aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act… Read more →
It’s not every day we get to talk about the Founding Fathers in our work at the Legislature. But, yesterday we had a rare opportunity to do just that as the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on LB 515, a bill that would attempt to nullify the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the ACA) – the health care reform… Read more →
Senate Republicans on Wednesday were unsuccessful in their attempt to repeal the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The repeal measure failed to receive the 60 votes it needed to pass, ultimately being defeated, 51 to 47. Repealing health reform – and its vital consumer protections – would have a devastating effect on the thousands of Nebraskans who… Read more →
Nebraskans will lose if efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act succeed. Today the House of Representatives will hold a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Yet, the vote takes place at a time when less than 25% of people support total repeal and majority want to leave the law as is or do more. These numbers reflect a… Read more →
My name is Robbie McEwen, and I have been a law clerk at Nebraska Appleseed for the last nine months. I have had the opportunity to work with every attorney in the office, and to work on many different issues. I can tell you honestly that every assignment that I have worked on has involved an interesting area of the… Read more →
Re-printed by permission of the writer, of Omaha, who is director of government relations for Nebraska at the American Cancer Society. First published as an OpEd in the Omaha World-Herald August 25, 2010. While undertaking a laudable effort to address the concerns of small businesses, U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns has jeopardized one of the key provisions of the Patient Protection… Read more →
Each summer, Nebraska Appleseed’s law clerk program attracts some of the best and brightest public interest minded law students from Nebraska and across the country. This summer was no exception. We were fortunate to have eight students: three from the University of Nebraska College of Law, three from Creighton University Law School, one from the University of Iowa College of… Read more →
johnc@cfra.org, Center for Rural Affairs The Center for Rural Affairs was established in 1973 as an unaffiliated nonprofit corporation under IRS code 501(c)3. The Center for Rural Affairs was formed by rural Nebraskans concerned about family farms and rural communities, and we work to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities. I’m fortunate to live in a… Read more →
Today is an important day for those Nebraskans looking for health care coverage. Today was the launch of a web portal created by the federal Department of Health and Human Services which will help people find health care coverage options in their local areas. The web portal is one of the consumer benefits required by the new health reform law,… Read more →
Written with Robert McEwen This week marks the three month anniversary of the passage of the health care reform bill. In just that short time we have already seen positive changes. Parents can keep their children on their family coverage until age 26, seniors have begun receiving checks to help them fill the donut hole that occurs in their Medicare… Read more →
Last week Appleseed testified on a major shift in Nebraska’s Medicaid program. The state is moving to a “full-risk” managed care program in ten counties contiguous to Omaha and Lincoln on August 1. For over a year Appleseed has been expressing serious reservations about this change. (You can read our testimony here) The fundamental orientation of full-risk managed care is… Read more →
For many years, Nebraska Appleseed has worked to protect access to health care for low-income families in our state. We continued to strive towards this goal recently in the Nebraska Supreme Court, by representing a class of over 400 low-income families that had lost Medicaid health care coverage. In the case of Davio v. Nebraska Department of Health and Human… Read more →
One of the main points of agreement in the health care reform debate (and yes, there was actually much agreement on about 80% of the bill), was the elimination of pre-existing condition denials by insurers. Its common sense: health insurance isn’t really insurance if it won’t cover the very health problem for which you need coverage. Hundreds of thousands of… Read more →
The health care reform law is a major win for Nebraska children and families. It will help tens of thousands of Nebraskans gain coverage, provide small businesses with tax credits for more affordable coverage, and will provide serious consumer protections to everyone in Nebraska. There are several key benefits for Nebraskans that will go into effect this year: New Access… Read more →
For many years, Nebraska’s Medicaid program covered prenatal care for the unborn children of pregnant women, regardless of a woman’s immigration status. But, on March 1, many unborn children of pregnant women lost prenatal care covered by Medicaid. Since this changed happened there seems to be confusion about what services Medicaid will continue to cover. At Nebraska Appleseed, we are… Read more →
Yesterday, the efforts to restore prenatal care to all low-income women in Nebraska in this legislative session came to an end.  The Legislature passed an amendment that may help a handful of women access prenatal care who were cut off on March 1st and are victims of domestic violence. We are obviously glad to see critical prenatal care restored to… Read more →
It was quite a week for health care. (Please keep reading for important info on a sign on letter for prenatal care.) First, on Tuesday, President Obama signed the health insurance reform legislation into law. Last night, the final amendments to that legislation were passed by the House, completing the long and arduous process of passing this legislation. It is… Read more →
Sad news today. LB 1110, Senator Campbell’s bill to restore prenatal care coverage, was “bracketed” today by unanimous consent. This means that, while the bill is technically still alive, it won’t come up on the floor this session and is essentially dead. Unfortunately, politics prevailed over good policy and there weren’t enough votes to pass the bill. Here is the… Read more →
Nearly another whole week has gone by for over 1,500 women and children cut off from prenatal care. Thankfully, there were a few bright spots this week in the effort to pass LB 1110. The Omaha World Herald came out with a very strong editorial in support of LB 1110. Other press stories made clear that the majority if calls… Read more →
Monday, March 1st was not a good day for Nebraska. On Monday, over 1,500 women and their unborn children lost their access to prenatal care. For decades Nebraska has been a state that prioritized the health of the mothers and babies in this state. On Monday, the Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services decided that wasn’t important… Read more →
For years Nebraska has had a common sense, compassionate, and fiscally sound policy of providing prenatal care to low-income mothers regardless of immigration status. But now, over 1,000 pregnant women face the terrifying prospect of losing their coverage for prenatal care as of March 1st. One of the worst parts of this? The coverage could easily be continued at a… Read more →
Nebraska Appleseed has used the tag line “Core Values, Common Ground, Equal Justice” for a long time. We look to these central principles in a variety of ways about a variety of issues. Last Thursday, our own Becky Gould testified regarding ACCESS Nebraska – our state’s on-line application system for public benefits programs. And, in many ways, the Nebraska Appleseed… Read more →
(originally posted at New Nebraska Network) This past week has been full of speculation about the future of health care reform which has been frustrating for health care reform advocates. Many of us have worked tirelessly this past year to make comprehensive health care reform a reality, coming further than any previous generation. The recent shift in the Senate should… Read more →
This week, Congress is negotiating the final health care reform bill that will make critical improvements to our broken health care system.  This is great news for the 224,000 Nebraskans – 45,000 of them children – who lack coverage today, and the thousands who struggle to afford their current coverage. But for health care reform to be most successful, it… Read more →
Early Monday morning the Senate took the first of three major votes required to pass the health care reform bill in the Senate. The second took place today. We believe this continued movement on reform is a critical and positive step. While we recognize that the Senate bill is not perfect or everything health care proponents had hoped to gain,… Read more →
The Senate has proposed and debated amendments to its health care reform legislation these past two weeks and there is more to come. A vote in the Senate might come as early as next Wednesday, although we think that is unlikely, but is likely to come by next Saturday, December 19th. We are down to the wire and the 60… Read more →
The Senate began debate on its health care reform bill this past Monday. Debate will likely last a few weeks with a vote hopefully occurring before Christmas. The House already passed its version of health care reform legislation. Now is a critical time to make your voice heard about health care reform as the Senate is debating and amending its… Read more →
I love Thanksgiving. My Dad (my favorite farmer) cooks for us, and this year, I have not one but two beautiful nieces to giggle with at the table.  This is what valuing family means to me. I am grateful for a good meal, for family, and even for the baby drool and stuffing that will inevitably end up on my… Read more →
This past Saturday the Senate honored the basic principles of our democracy and voted to begin the debate to allow the health reform bill to reach the Senate floor. Sixty Senators voted on the motion to proceed, while thirty-nine voted against it. We are disappointed that Senator Mike Johanns was one of those thirty-nine who voted to block the democratic… Read more →
This week we move closer than ever before to enact comprehensive health insurance reform legislation. For months we have been talking about health reform. It has been a long process, but an end is soon approaching. On Saturday, November 7, the House of Representatives passed its version of health reform legislation. The House bill will create a health insurance system… Read more →
Yesterday was an exciting day for Appleseed’s Health Care Access Program. We participated in a briefing on Capitol Hill about health care reform and rural communities. The event brought the voices of rural people to Congress and brought attention to rural health care issues which have often been absent from the national debate or used as an excuse to oppose… Read more →
Health care reform took one step further this past week when Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled his proposal for health care reform. Now every committee of jurisdiction has come out with a health care reform bill which is a huge achievement. The Senate Finance Committee bill will play a critical role in health care reform. This makes… Read more →
On September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the Constitution, marking one of the most important historical moments in U.S. history. What does Constitution Day have to do with health care? Well, in August we saw the Constitution thrown around in confusing ways by opponents to health reform. Today, on the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, we should… Read more →
I spent last Sunday helping to staff the Health Care Reform booth at the Nebraska State Fair. Amid the Mexican cigars, infra-red spas and the only glue you’ll ever need, I stood with information from the American Cancer Society, AARP and Nebraska Appleseed ready to educate the passing fair-goers and advocate for health care reform. I had braced myself for… Read more →
[singlepic id=111 w=320 h=240 float=left]”Wow!” was all I could think to say yesterday after the fabulous rally at the State Capitol. Between 600 and 700 Nebraskans turned out to show their support for health insurance reform! Rally goers heard from several speakers, including a representative from the White House, Nick Rathod, who is a native of Hastings. Senators Jeremy Nordquist… Read more →
The Health Care Reform debate is currently playing out across Nebraska as town hall meetings, ads and rally’s are happening in many communities. There is a very vocal and well organized voice that would like to stop any health care reform in Congress. Today they will have their rally in Omaha and will likely get media coverage suggesting Nebraskans should… Read more →
An impressive number of Nebraskans turned out for a public meeting with Senator Nelson on health care today. I ventured to guess that at least 600 people showed up. But apparently my skill (or lack thereof) at estimating crowds hasn’t improved because the media reported that 1,000 + turned out. 420 were able to sit inside and the rest could… Read more →
When I started as a law clerk for the Health Care Program at Nebraska Appleseed, I saw the summer as an opportunity to delve into what was sure to be an interesting, if somewhat technical, debate over health care reform. I did not expect those outside of the health care or political fields to become particularly engaged in the issue,… Read more →
It goes without saying that meaningful health care reform is essential to provide coverage for the tens of millions currently uninsured. But what do the reform bills currently moving through Congress do for the far greater number of people who already have insurance? Insured Americans are already bearing a huge burden of out-of-pocket costs that are growing much faster than… Read more →
On Wednesday night in Omaha, the members of the Nebraska Health Care for America Now coalition hosted a community conversation on health disparities among minorities. This was the third in a series of conversations about the health disparities that currently exist in our system and how and why those disparities should be addressed in national health care reform. In the… Read more →
Senator Reid announced this afternoon that the Senate would not be able to have a full vote on a health care bill before August. This is extremely disappointing. The delay means that our families must wait even longer for the health care they need, must struggle harder to afford their coverage, and more people will become uninsured. This delay must… Read more →
Congress took two big steps closer to health reform in the last two days. Tuesday, the House of Representatives released a health care reform bill which is the result of a joint effort between three committees: Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Education and Labor. Then on Wednesday, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee (HELP) in the… Read more →
A not so famous, but entirely important psychologist, Alfred Adler once said, “Trust movement. Life happens at the level of events, not words. Trust movement.” I was reminded of these words as I stood on top of Upper Senate Park last week and looked over the thousands of people standing in the blistering sun rallying for health care. Admittedly, I… Read more →
I’m writing this blog entry while watching President Obama’s interview on health care with ABC news and a room full of advocates, providers, economists, businesses, and everyday Americans. It is remarkable to me, and very encouraging, that so many people are engaged and that we are having this kind of public dialogue on this critical issue. One of the most… Read more →
That’s right. I said the Purple Bus Lady. She’s not an official super hero, but she has shown an extraordinary dedication to health care reform and all those who are struggling to access the health care they need. Her name is Kathie McClure and she really does drive a purple bus. Kathie is a mother first and foremost whose own… Read more →
Health care reform is in the air. Last week, Appleseed, Nebraska’s Health Care for America Now coalition (HCAN), and SEIU, organized a rally in support of health care reform to counter a different event that was organized against health care reform. We had an impressive turn out given the spontaneous nature of the event — further proof that health care… Read more →
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. It reflects a wisdom that we have often lost sight of in this country when it comes to health care. As a nation and a state, we have failed to make the investment in a rational health care system. The result is 460,000 Nebraskans who were… Read more →
