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In the News

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The members and staff of RCPA are looking for ways to reach out to the unfortunate victims of Hurricane Harvey. Below are some facts about this devastating event:

(Courtesy of the New York Times)

• The National Weather Service said Tuesday that Harvey has now set a record for total rainfall from a single tropical cyclone in the continental United States, with two weather stations in Texas reporting total rainfall over 48 inches.

  • Local officials said there were 13 deaths in Texas so far that were storm-related or suspected to be storm-related. Officials in Houston confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Sgt. Steve Perez, 60, died while driving to duty on Sunday.
  • The Houston Police Department has rescued more than 3,500 people from flooding since the storm began, Chief Art Acevedo said on Tuesday, up from about 2,000 a day earlier. The city fire chief, Samuel Peña, said his department had performed more than 400 rescues. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not have an updated figure on Tuesday, but said it was considerably higher than the roughly 2,200 rescues it reported on Monday.

• President Trump is visiting Texas, having arrived in Corpus Christi before traveling to Austin, the state capital.

The American Red Cross is encouraging people to donate money on its website or to text 90999 to donate $10. The organization is also asking for volunteers. Other organizations include the Salvation ArmySamaritan’s Purseand Heart to Heart International.

Please feel free to share this information as widely as possible. Thank you for being a part of these relief efforts.

For Immediate Release

Delilah Rumburg, Chief Executive Officer of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, announced that she will retire after 23 years at the helm of the longest-standing anti-sexual assault coalition in the country.

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RCPA, along with three other statewide associations, have joined together by drafting a letter to State Senators urging them to oppose House Bill 59 (HB 59). HB 59 negatively impacts Medicaid eligibility and benefits for consumers, specifically limiting the ability of health and human service providers to offer services to the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable population. Consumers and health and human service providers are concerned that HB 59 is on a fast track to passage.

The bill’s language to limit eligibility and access to Medicaid benefits was inserted during budget negotiations without public debate or hearings. After the bill was amended and voted out of committee, it was sent directly to the House in its entirety for an up or down vote. Ultimately, HB 59 passed the House largely along party lines without any votes from Democrats, and fifteen (15) Republicans voted against it. From a good governance perspective this is simply astounding. On process alone, HB 59 should be rejected; therefore, we urge RCPA members to contact their State Senators and ask them to oppose HB 59.

Questions, contact Jack Phillips.

RCPA has been working with a multi-association group to oppose the federal proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA)/ Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). We previously sent a letter to Senators Casey and Toomey and are now planning a letter to the editor and press conference. The effort has been led by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of PA (HAP), but has been a very collaborative initiative, and RCPA will be speaking at the press conference along with several other associations. We encourage you to attend this event which is being held at the Capitol in Harrisburg on Wednesday, July 19 at 11:00 am. For additional information contact Jack Phillips, Director of Government Affairs.

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Today, the House will vote on HB 59, the Welfare Code bill. In the bill there are many provisions that would have a negative impact on the families that our members serve. RCPA staff has been in contact with House members and have written a letter to legislators explaining why we oppose HB 59.

Once the House votes on the bill today, it will immediately go to the Senate Rules Committee. If the Senate Rules Committee votes it out of committee favorably, HB 59 will go to the Senate floor for a final vote.

RCPA implores providers to contact their legislators and tell them to oppose HB 59. Members can use RCPA’s letter opposing HB59 for talking points. Questions, contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

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nc-action-alert

The Senate has released its version of the American Health Care Act and it is worse than we feared. The Senate bill will cut Medicaid even more than the House bill in the future, putting tremendous pressure on safety-net services and providers.

But there is still time to act! The Senate is gearing up for a vote in the coming days, so NOW is the time to speak up and protect Medicaid.

unite-4-bhTaking action is easy:

  1. Dial this number: 202-224-3121
  2. Ask for your Senator.
  3. Share with them this message:
    • Your Message: I am calling to ask the Senator to vote NO on the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Cutting Medicaid and rolling back the Medicaid expansion will have a devastating effect on people with mental illnesses and addictions who rely on Medicaid for lifesaving treatment. Please vote NO. I’m calling from [city, state, and zip] and my name is [first and last name].
  4. Call your other Senator and share the same message!

Thank you to all who have taken action on this issue so far this year. We appreciate your hard work and dedication and ask that you continue to mobilize and advocate on this critical issue! Together, we can protect and preserve Medicaid for millions of Americans in need.


 

Questions, contact Jack Phillips.