WV Citizen Action Education Fund (WV CAEF) is a statewide 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides original research and public education on progressive solutions to the challenges facing the people of Appalachia. We're a coalition partner with the Health Care for All WV campaign, and have been working to expand health care access and coverage to West Virginians for decades.
www.tinyurl.com/WVStories21 or email eve@wvcag.org.
The reality for most West Virginians is struggle, struggle to afford medications, out-of-pocket expenses, insurance, struggle to stay healthy enough to work and keep a job, especially if that job doesn’t provide health insurance. Most of us have chronic health issues. Most of us are working and still struggling. And those West Virginians who cannot work are struggling the most.
Here’s a list of questions that will help clarify the kinds of health care stories we are most interested in, but the first one is a big goal right now:
- Are co-pays, out of pocket expenses, or prescription drug prices overwhelming? Have you had to put off treatment or refills because of the cost?
- Are you living with little to no HEALTH CARE coverage? Has lack of sufficient coverage affected your ability to get or keep a job? Are you struggling to stay healthy enough to work?
- Have you experienced the Medicaid Cliff effect, where you found out you’ve worked too many hours or earned too much and then lost your coverage?
- Are you struggling with the health and economic consequences of COVID-19?
- Have you benefited from the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid?
- Does lack of affordable HOME CARE (child, elder, etc.) or PAID LEAVE (Family/Medical) affect your ability to find work or keep a job?
If any of these hit home for you, we would love to hear your story.
Our goal is to use these stories to help educate the public, the media, and our State/Fed legislators and congress members on what it’s like for the average West Virginian just trying to seek and receive health care.
Please, consider sharing your WV Health Care Story.
Decisionmakers won’t know our struggles unless we tell them.
Eve Marcum-Atkinson
Communications Coordinator & Office Administrator
WV Citizen Action
