Medicaid provides health coverage that helps low-income seniors, children and people with disabilities get needed health care. It provides parents and other adults economic security through health coverage that protect them from medical debt and allows them to stay healthy and work. It is jointly run by the federal and state governments.
For more on what Medicaid means to West Virginia as we mark its 50th birthday, here’s Brooke’s blog post from this week.
Last weekend, the New York Times ran this letter to the editor from WVCBP Executive Director Ted Boettner. For more, here’s a link to his post in the Hill Congress blog.
July 25, 2015
“Miners Bracing for a Future of Ever-Dwindling Demand for Coal” (front page, July 18), about the struggles of coal miners, captured a vivid picture of Appalachian coal communities suffering from the industry’s collapse.
We must not forget that these communities fueled our expansion westward, energized the Industrial Revolution and powered our victory in two world wars. They deserve our respect and gratitude in their time of need.
These communities have suffered from painful boom-and-bust cycles, lost friends and family from the hazards of mining, and have seen Appalachia remain one of the poorest communities in America.
While we can’t undo the past, we can build a brighter future that honors their sacrifices and hard work. That’s why Congress must act swiftly by supporting the proposed Power Plus plan, which invests in economic diversification initiatives that help retool workers for emerging opportunities, while shoring up funding for the health and retirement benefits workers have earned.
After all that they’ve given us, we mustn’t leave coal communities behind.
This week we released the third installment of our Fast Facts series, with this issue focusing on how cutting business taxes has not helped grow the state’s economy in the past, and won’t do so in the future. And it hasn’t helped in other states either.
This fall, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will release its rule on regulating payday lending. While West Virginia consumers already are protected under state law, they can still be victimized across the border or through online loan companies.
The WVCBP is calling on our Congressional delegation to urge the CFPB to put consumers first as they finalize their rule. Here’s more in this week’s Charleston Gazette-Mail.
