We need YOU for Advocacy Day at the Capitol!
An interview with Januari Leo, Legacy’s Director of Public Affairs
The first Lights of Legacy event for 2015 is just around the corner, and we’re inviting you to join us for the annual Advocacy Day at the Capitol on February 18. We will meet with our elected officials about issues facing the HIV/AIDS community, healthcare funding, women’s health issues, and more.
Januari Leo, Legacy’s Director of Public Affairs, is spearheading this event for the Texas HIV/AIDS Coalition. We spoke with her about the history of Advocacy Day, why our voices are so important, and the challenges ahead with the incoming Texas legislature.
What is Advocacy Day?
It’s a day of community activism sponsored by the Texas HIV/AIDS coalition, which is housed under Legacy. It was formed when drug manufacture Bristol Myers Squibb started a statewide coalition, targeting the big cities, trying to bring our “grasstops” (influential community members and opinion leaders who advocate and lobby for a specific cause) together for decision-making, as well as keeping us all up-to-date about HIV in Texas.
This is our third advocacy day that we’ve done. It’s all about getting people to the capitol and allowing them to share their stories so we can put a face to policy. Our elected officials are awesome but they sometimes get caught up on the paperwork of the legislation. It’s good for them to see the folks their legislation is affecting.
What are the issues we’re focusing on?
We will focus on several different topics, including HIV/AIDS prevention and women’s healthcare, but the big thing on the table is Medicaid expansion. If Texas had passed it in 2013, it would have gone into effect a year ago. And, every year we don’t pass it we lose money.
Governor Abbott has said he will not expand Medicaid, but he’s been looking at other states and models of what they’ve done. I think there’s a lot of pressure right now. We’re turning away too much money; federal tax money is going to other states and we’re not taking care of Texans.
You may have heard of the “Texas Solution” and ways to make it work for Texas, more palatable for objectors. But if people don’t have a way to get medical care, they go to the emergency room, and we’re paying for that as well. We’re paying for it one way or another. We need to bring that money home to Texas to pay for Texans.
Why is Medicaid expansion so important to Legacy and its patients?
To be eligible for Medicaid in Texas, you have to be a low-income child or pregnant woman, or fully disabled and not working. Medicare expansion takes away that disability requirement for individuals. In that case, a person making less than 133% of the federal poverty level (which is about $15,000 for an individual) would be eligible for Medicaid. That affects a lot of our clients here at Legacy.
How could Medicare expansion affect our HIV patients?
We receive a lot of Ryan White funding for our HIV patients who wouldn’t otherwise be able to pay for their HIV-related treatment and medications. But Medicaid would offer those clients more options for care, like covered hospital visits.
What are some of the challenges we face with the incoming Texas Legislature?
There are so many new people coming in that there’s a lot of education that has to be done. HIV is something you don’t hear a lot about anymore, so people think “everything’s great.” But we’re seeing our infection rates rise. We have a considerable amount of folks in Texas affected. People are living longer because of their medication and that’s great, but that means there’s more care and funding needed. We need to educate our legislators about the state of HIV/AIDS in Texas and the nation, and what we can expect in the future.
Do participants need any lobbying experience? What can people expect?
People can register for the day here. If you’re coming from Houston, we have a bus that will leave early in the morning and return late at night (to reserve a seat on the bus, you must also contact Januari at 832-548-5112.) We will provide breakfast and lunch.
No previously lobbying experience is necessary! We will provide “Advocacy 101” training, making it as simple as possible to share our stories. You won’t have to worry about numbers and data. We’ll give that to you in a folder to give to your legislator so you can focus instead on sharing your story about what is so important to Texas.
Finally be sure to wear red to show you support for HIV/AIDS funding, education and treatment!
Register for Advocacy Day online here.
The first Lights of Legacy event for 2015 is just around the corner, and we’re inviting you to join us for the annual Advocacy Day at the Capitol on February 18. We will meet with our elected officials about issues facing the HIV/AIDS community, healthcare funding, women’s health issues, and more.
 |
| Januari Leo Director of Public Affairs |
What is Advocacy Day?
It’s a day of community activism sponsored by the Texas HIV/AIDS coalition, which is housed under Legacy. It was formed when drug manufacture Bristol Myers Squibb started a statewide coalition, targeting the big cities, trying to bring our “grasstops” (influential community members and opinion leaders who advocate and lobby for a specific cause) together for decision-making, as well as keeping us all up-to-date about HIV in Texas.
This is our third advocacy day that we’ve done. It’s all about getting people to the capitol and allowing them to share their stories so we can put a face to policy. Our elected officials are awesome but they sometimes get caught up on the paperwork of the legislation. It’s good for them to see the folks their legislation is affecting.
What are the issues we’re focusing on?
We will focus on several different topics, including HIV/AIDS prevention and women’s healthcare, but the big thing on the table is Medicaid expansion. If Texas had passed it in 2013, it would have gone into effect a year ago. And, every year we don’t pass it we lose money.
Governor Abbott has said he will not expand Medicaid, but he’s been looking at other states and models of what they’ve done. I think there’s a lot of pressure right now. We’re turning away too much money; federal tax money is going to other states and we’re not taking care of Texans.
You may have heard of the “Texas Solution” and ways to make it work for Texas, more palatable for objectors. But if people don’t have a way to get medical care, they go to the emergency room, and we’re paying for that as well. We’re paying for it one way or another. We need to bring that money home to Texas to pay for Texans.
Why is Medicaid expansion so important to Legacy and its patients?
To be eligible for Medicaid in Texas, you have to be a low-income child or pregnant woman, or fully disabled and not working. Medicare expansion takes away that disability requirement for individuals. In that case, a person making less than 133% of the federal poverty level (which is about $15,000 for an individual) would be eligible for Medicaid. That affects a lot of our clients here at Legacy.
How could Medicare expansion affect our HIV patients?
We receive a lot of Ryan White funding for our HIV patients who wouldn’t otherwise be able to pay for their HIV-related treatment and medications. But Medicaid would offer those clients more options for care, like covered hospital visits.
What are some of the challenges we face with the incoming Texas Legislature?
There are so many new people coming in that there’s a lot of education that has to be done. HIV is something you don’t hear a lot about anymore, so people think “everything’s great.” But we’re seeing our infection rates rise. We have a considerable amount of folks in Texas affected. People are living longer because of their medication and that’s great, but that means there’s more care and funding needed. We need to educate our legislators about the state of HIV/AIDS in Texas and the nation, and what we can expect in the future.
Do participants need any lobbying experience? What can people expect?
People can register for the day here. If you’re coming from Houston, we have a bus that will leave early in the morning and return late at night (to reserve a seat on the bus, you must also contact Januari at 832-548-5112.) We will provide breakfast and lunch.
No previously lobbying experience is necessary! We will provide “Advocacy 101” training, making it as simple as possible to share our stories. You won’t have to worry about numbers and data. We’ll give that to you in a folder to give to your legislator so you can focus instead on sharing your story about what is so important to Texas.
Finally be sure to wear red to show you support for HIV/AIDS funding, education and treatment!
Register for Advocacy Day online here.
Comments
Post a Comment