Looking back on 2014, MICHUHCAN was involved in a flurry of activity related to health and health care issues:
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Reaching over 2,000 people with education presentations on enrolling in the Affordable Care Act and on Health Literacy;
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Developing Health Literacy presentation for persons newly insured in Healthy Michigan and Marketplace insurance;
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Developing and launching the pilot Michigan Health Insurance Assistance Program, providing supplemental financial assistance for individuals and families to purchase silver insurance policies on the Marketplace;
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Hosting a successful Annual Dinner with Wendell Potter as the keynote speaker, and
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Serving on numerous Boards on Committees addressing health issues across the state.
In 2015, MICHUHCAN will still need to be active in education with an emphasis Health Literacy, while insurance enrollment education will still be necessary.
Our staff and all healthcare advocates will be very busy, in a very difficult political climate:
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Protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from defunding and negative regulatory changes;
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Looking for opportunities to improve the ACA in the areas of affordability, network adequacy and quality outcomes;
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Reacting to legal challenges at both the federal and state levels –especially the Supreme Court case challenging the legality Premium Tax Credit in states with both Federal and State/Federal Marketplaces. Michigan is a State/Federal Partnership.
MICHUHCAN has begun working with a small group of people nationally to address the political toxicity that pervades our government and our communities. The group will be promoting a better understanding of the words “liberty and justice for all” and the tensions between personal liberty and justice the greater good. Civil discourse on this issue must occur if we are ever to again be able to move from ideological silos and be able to compromise on issues necessary to all who live and work in America.
Again in the coming year we will work collaboratively to improve the health of our communities by addressing broader health issues, such as transportation, access to food, clean water, clean air and safe streets.
We ask for your continued moral and financial support as the challenges are huge, but so are the opportunities, if we work together. Our families and communities deserve our best efforts.
MICHUHCAN 