Thursday Actions: Demand Paid Sick Leave, Expand Medicaid

****Actions 3/12/2020****

FEDERAL:

Tell the Senate to Support Emergency Paid Sick Leave:
Today, Democratic Senators worked to expedite legislation that would have guaranteed paid sick leave for workers. The bill sponsored by Murray in the Senate and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in the House would immediately guarantee workers 14 days of paid sick leave in the event of a public health emergency like the current one. Workers would separately accrue up to seven sick days over the course of a year under the bill. This solution is far more effective than Trump’s promise to temporarily repeal the payroll tax, which would have the long-term impact of defunding Social Security.

Note: Just as I was getting ready to post (like less than a minute prior), the Democrats released their emergency Coronavirus legislation. It includes guaranteed paid sick leave, food security, enhanced unemployment insurance, and free testing. The bill number was not posted when I checked, but if you want to add the above laundry list to your call, please do.

Details:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/senate-gop-blocks-emergency-paid-sick-leave-legislation-from-moving-forward_n_5e691016c5b68d61645ebff9

Script:
Hello, I am a constituent from zip code ___________ calling to urge Sen. ______________ to support legislation that would guarantee workers 14 days of paid sick leave in the event of a public health emergency like the current one we are facing with the Coronavirus. It is absolutely essential that we do everything we can to ensure that working people have some financial stability during this health crisis. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

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STATE:

Medicaid Expansion:
We are now seeing the destructive impact of the NC GOP’s refusal to expand Medicaid. Because the NC GOP stubbornly refuses to allow the Affordable Care Act to work like it should, thousands of North Carolina residents have been unable to get health coverage. This will potentially have a huge impact when it comes to providing treatment for people with the Coronavirus. But it also impacts us in other ways. Vidant Health, in Greenville, was forced to lay off nearly 200 employees because of budget shortfalls due to people receiving treatment but being unable to pay their bills.

As G.K. Butterfield explains it, “Rural hospitals operate on razor thin margins and often do not have the capacity to absorb these costs. Studies have found that when states expand Medicaid uninsured rates for low-income adults decline drastically, which reduces uncompensated care and gives lifelines to rural hospitals. The General Assembly’s decision not to expand Medicaid has not only harmed patient access to care and the overall health care system of eastern North Carolina, but the economy as well.” With so many people facing financial difficulties, now is the time to remind our lawmakers that expanding Medicaid would not only save lives but also would protect jobs in rural communities. This call is most urgent if you have a GOP rep, as most Democrats already support it.


Details:
https://www.wakeweekly.com/stories/butterfield-blames-lawmakers-for-vidant-health-layoffs-sw,203418

Script:
Hello, I am a constituent calling from ____________ to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to support Medicaid expansion. We are facing a massive, costly public health crisis, and we need to provide people with the health coverage they need for this kind of emergency. In fact, 400,000 people would be able to get health insurance. The layoffs by Vidant Health also show that rural communities continue to suffer because of the refusal to expand Medicaid.

State Contact Numbers:
NC House: http://bit.ly/2CVneDK
NC Senate: http://bit.ly/2DamgAn




CALENDAR:

Here is your weekly activism calendar courtesy of NC Wins:
http://ncwins.org/events/

Most of you are probably hunkering down and practicing social distancing, but if you feel compelled to get involved, here are some ways you can do that. Note: If you have events, please share them on the NC Wins website.