Women With a Vision, Inc. will be joining national, state, and local healthcare advocates in urging Louisiana to participate in Medicaid expansion in a Day of Action to be held on Saturday, November 15, 2014 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi River Heritage Park in New Orleans.
Attendees will learn why Medicaid expansion is critical for improving public health in Louisiana and how they can help advocate for this needed change. Participants will have the opportunity to immediately take action by signing an online letter in support of Medicaid expansion addressed to state and national representatives and health leaders via their smart phones or social media. Louisiana consistently ranks among the bottom of all U.S. states on health outcomes, yet for two years Louisiana leaders have refused to accept $16 billion in federal dollars that could help provide critical health coverage over the next 10 years for uninsured residents.
The Day of Action is being led by the Community Health Planning and Policy Development (CHPPD) section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) as part of their annual CHPPD Day of Action. Women With a Vision Executive Director Deon Haywood will be speaking at the event, alongside an array of community groups and healthcare advocates, including Alma C. Stewart, Founder and President of the Louisiana Center for Health Equity, and local New Orleans leaders from Puentes, the Vietnamese Young Leaders Association, The Jeremiah Group, and the Louisiana Community Health Outreach Network.