184,000 West Virginians Could Lose Coverage with Partial Affordable Care Act Repeal
An Urban Institute analysis projects 184,000 West Virginians would lose health care coverage under an Affordable Care Act repeal, a 208 percent increase in the number of uninsured.
“The ACA, while not perfect, has become a foundation of health security for thousands of West Virginia families. Its repeal will have a significant impact on the state. But as of now, tens of thousands of West Virginians stand to lose their health care coverage, while the state and health care industry must prepare to lose billions in federal funding,” West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Senior Policy Analyst Sean O’Leary writes in this blog post. Read.
Call 866.426.2632 and tell Congress health care coverage matters.
“Eliminating the business personal property income tax would be a fiscal disaster,” West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Senior Policy Analyst Sean O’Leary writes in this blog post. Read.
In recent years, the legislature has passed $425 million in tax cuts, and largely because of those cuts, the state faces a $400 million budget gap.
The WVCBP has shown that there is little evidence that eliminating business personal property taxes significantly increases investment and growth. Instead the eliminations stifle the ability of municipalities, county governments, and school districts to provide needed services.
In the News
This week, Revenue Secretary Bob Kiss told lawmakers that West Virginia’s state budget has a “significant structural hole” that will be “north of $400 million” next year that cannot be fixed by across-the-board cuts. Read.
The WVCBP advocates for a more balanced approach to the budget, including revenue generating options such as 3 percent personal income surcharge on households making over $200,000, adequate taxation of natural gas extraction, closing the corporate tax loopholes, raising sin taxes on tobacco, soda, alcohol to name a few.
Eric Dixon writes “Communities Struggling with Decline of Coal Can’t Wait any Longer on RECLAIM Act” in this opinion piece featured in The Hill. Read.
The WVCBP welcomes the advancement of the RECLAIM Act that would invest $1 billion in struggling communities to retrain workers and develop more diversified economies.
We urge you to call Senator Manchin at 202.224.3954 and Senator Capito at 220.224.6472 and ask them to pass legislation to help our communities before it is too late.
Upcoming Events
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, the City of Huntington, Marshall University, and the Cabell-Huntington Health Department are hosting a conference on Tuesday, December 13 to discuss solutions to the state’s opioid epidemic.
Learn more here.
Registration is now open for the 4th Annual WVCBP Budget Breakfast — Facing West Virginia’s Budget Challenges: The Road Ahead.
Register here before January 31, 2017 to enjoy a $40 early bird discount.
