By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings
Thanks to Brahm Resnick of Channel 12 for spotting this and pointing it out…
A few years ago, the Republicans in the Arizona legislature "balanced" the state's budget on the backs of Arizona's most vulnerable residents by radically cutting access to health care for Arizona's poor. The "balance the budget" subterfuge was used as an excuse for similar ends in other states.
With the advent of federal health care reform, known as Obamacare, many states, including AZ, must now expand or restore health care coverage for the poor to reap the full fiscal benefits of the federal law.
This past Tuesday, Governor Jan Brewer, to great fanfare, released her proposed legislation to restore eligibility for AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, to include those families who have an annual income level up to 133% of the federal property level.
This coming Wednesday, March 20, at 2 p.m,, the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the proposal, including a presentation from the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) and taking public testimony from the public.
While I expect that the witness list will be heavy with Goldwater Institute corporate shills, opposing Medicaid for their clients' fun and profit (the committee is chaired by Rep. John Kavanagh, after all), a healthy turnout of supporters is needed to demonstrate that there is strong support in Arizona for the restoration of Medicaid coverage to previous levels.
Details –
Where: HHR1, House of Representatives building, Arizona State Capitol, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix.
Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Time: 2 p.m. (seating is limited, so plan to arrive early)