Attention, HIV advocates. Your voice is Critically Needed at this moment to #KillTheBill and #ProtectOurCare (2017)
PWN-USA has put together a #KillTheBill Resource Center to provide people living with HIV and their allies the tools needed to persuade uncommitted GOP Senators to oppose the AHCA when it comes up for a vote next week.
UPDATE: THE BILL WAS RELEASED TODAY (6/22).
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#KillTheBill Resource Center
Attention, HIV advocates! Your voice is CRITICALLY NEEDED at this moment to #KillTheBill and #ProtectOurCare.
June 21, 2017: Senate Republicans plan to push the “health care” bill, written by a group of 13 men in secret behind closed doors, which nobody has actually seen yet, to a full Senate vote as early as next week. Their goal is to pass the secret bill before they go home for the July 4 recess, to avoid having to discuss it further with angry constituents like us.
If you have been following the news at all recently, you know that this bill will be very bad for everyone, and especially for people living with and vulnerable to HIV. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) would decimate care for people with HIV and our communities through Medicaid cuts and caps, and by allowing states a great deal of flexibility in deciding what conditions insurers must cover, how much they can charge, what expenses they can cover or not cover (e.g., hospitalization, prescription drugs, etc.) and allowing for the reintroduction of “high risk pools,” which many of us know were a catastrophic failure for those of us with preexisting conditions before the Affordable Care Act (ACA, a.k.a. Obamacare).
All hope is not lost. There are a few Republican Senators from states that expanded Medicaid who are indicating that they may still vote no on the bill. Some key targets are: Sen. Murkowski (Alaska), Sen. Flake (Arizona), Sen. Gardner (Colorado), Sen. Paul (Kentucky), Sen. Cassidy (Louisiana), Sen. Collins (Maine), Sen. Heller (Nevada), Sen. Portman (Ohio), Sen. Graham (South Carolina), Sen. Cruz (Texas), Sen. Lee (Utah), Sen. Capito (West Virginia), Sen. Johnson (Wisconsin).
Because this issue is so incredibly urgent and is literally a question of life and death for many of us, PWN-USA is urging all of our members and allies to take some time out of your day to help us fight this bill. We also want to provide you with the tools and resources you need.
Here is what you can do:
1. You should be calling your Senators every day. You can also organize a phone bank of coworkers, friends, family, neighbors, etc. See our Action Alert for more details.
2. Urge your constituents, colleagues, friends, relatives or anyone you can reach to use the HIV Hotline 1 (866) 246-9371 and participate in the National Call-In Day on Monday, June 26. The process is very simple.
1. Call (866) 246-9371
2. When asked provide your zip code. The call direct you to key Senators in your state
3. Tell the person who answers:
· your name,
· city and state,
· that you are a person with HIV or a person affected by HIV and that the American Health Care Act will cause people with HIV to lose health care coverage
· Ask the Senator to please oppose the American Health Care Act
3. Schedule a meeting with your Senator’s legislative staff, particularly if you live in a state with at least one Republican Senator. Here is your guide.
4. Use these talking points when talking to Senators, staffers and the community you are mobilizing and organizing. This page includes links to valuable resources you can use to customize your message and downloadable fact sheets you can leave with your Senators.
5. Participate in one of the many events happening over the next few days in protest of the health care bill. Here’s a good list.
6. Spread the word on social media and link to this resource center! Here are a few sample posts. You can also use the social media graphics here.
· #HIVResists Check out the new resource center from @uspwn illustrating how to speak with senators regarding #AHCA. http://bit.ly/2rDNxVt
· #pwnspeaks Be in the know when talking to senators about deadly #AHCA http://bit.ly/2rDNxVt
· .@uspwn created this helpful new resource center to aid in talking to senators about #AHCA http://bit.ly/2rDNxVt
· Senate will vote on #AHCA next week! Organize your meeting today #HIVResists #ProtectOurCare #HIV http://bit.ly/2sVzK0L
· @SenateGOP 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· @SenateGOP Please reject the #AHCA because 23 million would lose coverage, including people living with #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@senatorcollins Please improve on, do not dismantle the ACA and its benefits for Americans living with #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@senjohnmccain Please improve on, do not dismantle the ACA and its benefits for Americans living with #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@jeffflake Please improve on, do not dismantle the ACA and its benefits for Americans living with #HIV.http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@robportman 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@sencapito The #AHCA would end key protections for 52M Americans with pre-existing conditions including #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@SenDeanHeller Please improve on, do not dismantle the ACA and its benefits for Americans living with #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@lisamurkowski The #AHCA would end key protections for 52M Americans with pre-existing conditions including #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@SenBobCorker 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@BillCassidy 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@JohnKennedyLA 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@SenToomey The #AHCA would end key protections for 52M Americans with pre-existing conditions including #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@SenShelby 42% of ppl living with #HIV depend on #Medicaid for life saving care — the #AHCA would gut it. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o
· .@SenatorStrange Please reject the #AHCA because 23 million would lose coverage, including people living with #HIV. http://bit.ly/2rSlp3o