Medicaid expansion federal comment period
Despite comments from hundreds of Nebraskans in opposition, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services submitted their proposed Medicaid expansion waiver with minimal changes to the federal government for approval. The proposed Section 1115 waiver still includes a two-tiered benefits system, work and wellness requirements, and changes to retroactive eligibility.
Thank you for submitting a comment against the proposed waiver during state comment period! Your comments are still wanted by the federal government!
TAKE ACTION
You have another opportunity to stand for expansion and submit a comment to the federal government regarding the Department’s proposed waiver. Even if you submitted a comment during the state comment period, your voice is needed again during the federal comment period. Submit a comment today through Friday, January 17, 2020.
Background
Nebraskans are needlessly waiting for lifesaving coverage while the Department chooses to experiment with a proposed Section 1115 waiver that is incredibly confusing and imposes additional barriers and reduced benefits.
It is concerning that work requirements have been included in this proposal, especially when work requirements have been shown to be expensive, burdensome, and legally suspect.
Nebraskans voted to implement Medicaid expansion with their neighbors, friends, and family in mind.
It’s time to honor the vote of the people and swiftly begin the program without barriers or unnecessary experiments.
Support the New Deal for New Americans Act
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive in the place they call home. However, last month the administration proposed a new rule that targets low-income and working class immigrants by dramatically increasing application fees for citizenship, asylum, work permits, and other forms of immigration status.
The rule, if implemented, would:
- increase citizenship application fees to $1,170;
- create a $50 fee for filing certain asylum applications and make asylum seekers pay $490 for a work permit;
- increase the cost of DACA renewals to $765; and so much more.
SUBMIT A COMMENT
The proposed rule is not in effect yet, but, if implemented, threatens access to citizenship and other forms of relief based on wealth and class. Submit a comment opposing the fee increases! Deadline to submit comments is December 30.
SUPPORT THE NEW DEAL FOR NEW AMERICANS ACT
Call your House of Representatives and urge them to vote in support of the New Deal for New Americans Act. Introduced by U.S. Representatives. Grace Meng (NY), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), the bill resets a path forward on immigration and honors America’s history and strength in diversity by laying out a proactive, visionary roadmap to help immigrants and refugees navigate their adopted homeland and become a full and integral part of our shared social, economic, and civic life.
District 1 – Rep. Jeff Fortenberry 402-438-1598
District 2 – Rep. Don Bacon 402-938-0300
District 3 – Rep. Adrian Smith 308-384-3900
Click here to find your U.S. Representative
Read more about the proposed rule and how you can take action on our blog.
Tell Congress: Pass New Positive Immigration Legislation
Long-overdue legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate that would provide protections for Dreamers and longtime residents with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status who are part of the fabric of local communities.
This critical legislation would provide stability for Nebraska families and communities by creating a process to apply for permanent residency and citizenship for Nebraska Dreamers and TPS community members with long-standing ties to our country. A majority of TPS residents have lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years, building lives, families, and businesses. The original Dream Act was introduced in 2001.
Tell both U.S. senators to SUPPORT the Dream Act of 2019 and Secure Act of 2019. And, tell your U.S. representative to support the Dream and Promise Act of 2019. Urge them to provide DACA youth, TPS, and DED residents a means to apply for permanent residency and eventual citizenship in the country they know as home and to which they contribute so much.
Dreamers continue to enrich Nebraska communities, contributing their skills and talents to the only place they know as home, while living with constant uncertainty after the Trump Administration announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program one year ago. Similarly, the Administration announced a sudden end to TPS status for residents from several countries where conflict or other extraordinary circumstances make it impossible to return without jeopardizing their lives.
It is long past time to provide stability for Nebraska communities and families through common-sense legislation that creates a way to apply for citizenship for contributing community members. Contact Nebraska’s congressional delegation today.
Fight hunger in our schools
Our school districts make critical decisions when planning school breakfast programs that affect not just students’ ability to eat a nutritious meal, but also their health and academic performance.
National data shows Nebraska continues to trail behind nearly all states in making sure children are getting the breakfast they need to be healthy and learn. Nebraska Appleseed’s School Breakfast Report identifies pockets of success and specific opportunities to make sure hungry students get a nutritious breakfast at school to support their classroom achievement. The report also makes recommendations for schools to allow more students to start the day with a nutritious meal.
Given rising food insecurity among families and unpaid meal debt among schools, making sure Nebraska schools have effective breakfast programs ticks both the urgent and important boxes.
View our interactive map to see how your school district performs in in making sure children get a breakfast to support their success in the classroom, and learn how together we can help make sure more Nebraska children have a nutritious meal at the start of their day.
Everyone should have a safe workplace
Over the past decades, significant and convincing data has piled up to show that working in the meatpacking and poultry processing industries continue to be some of the most dangerous jobs in the country.
The Trump Administration has proposed a new rule to make it even more dangerous – both for workers in pork slaughter plants and the food that makes it to your plate. The plan to remove federal food safety inspectors and increase the already dangerously high line speeds in pork plants would be a disaster for all involved.
Tell our members of Congress to pass a law to protect food and worker safety by rejecting this increase in line speed. Our lawmakers must pass protections that prevent the hard-working men and women who prepare our food from suffering permanent, crippling injuries on the job.