[DAC] Fwd: [Artfound-list] Important Health Care Activism Request From the Artists Foundation

[Donna Penn]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: News from the Artists Foundation <artfound- 
> list at artistsfoundation.org>
> Date: August 16, 2007 12:25:33 PM EDT
> To: artfound-list at artistsfoundation.org
> Subject: [Artfound-list] Important Health Care Activism Request  
> From the Artists Foundation
>
> News from the Artists Foundation
> _______________________________________________
> Information about this mailing list, including
> unsubscription information, may be accessed
> through the link at the end of this message.
> _______________________________________________
> Dear Massachusetts artists working in all disciplines,
>
> As you know the Artists Foundation and the Artists Health Care  
> Working Group (the AF helped to co-found this group) have both been  
> focused on ensuring that the artists of Massachusetts are not  
> negatively impacted by the health care reform law and the connected  
> reforms.
>
> We need to find people who are willing to testify in written format  
> or in person for a key hearing on what is now called the Free Care  
> Pool and the changes that are being proposed to it.
>
> Presently the Free Care Pool helps to cover all or some of the cost  
> of care of those who were low income and did not have health  
> insurance as well as those who were low income but had insurance  
> that did not cover key needed services. The AF strongly feels that  
> the proposed changes are highly problematic and will hurt people.
>
> Here's what could change as of October 2007:   The "Free Care Pool"  
> changes its name to "Health Safety Net Trust Fund."  There will be  
> no more "Free Care."  Instead, many residents will incur $35.00  
> monthly deductibles ($420.00 yearly) plus co-payments of $5-$50 per  
> visit.  This is not an insurance plan.  There are no membership  
> cards and no member rights that insurance plans provide.   Also, if  
> you are eligible for MassHealth or Commonwealth Care and fail to  
> enroll, you get no Safety Net.  If you are offered Employer  
> Sponsored Insurance with the employer contributing at least 33% to  
> your plan or 20% to a family plan and if you do not enroll, you get  
> no Safety Net.  If you are unable to afford to pay your MassHealth  
> or Commonwealth Care premiums, you get no Safety Net.  People  
> subject to a tax penalty for not having insurance by 12/31/2007  
> will be further harmed by having no Safety Net.  They will have to  
> pay out-of-pocket for all medical services and receive no state  
> assistance.
>
> The hearing is: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. at One  
> Ashburton Place, 21st Floor, Boston, MA.  You are encouraged to  
> appear in person and tell your story.
>
> If you cannot attend the hearing, we need written testimony by:  
> 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2007.
>
> We are in need of the following:
>
> People who are eligible for Commonwealth Care - the new state  
> program for those who are uninsured- but can not afford the premiums
>
> People who are not  eligible for Commonwealth Care (even thought  
> their income would make them eligible) but are not eligible because  
> their employer offers them health insurance and they can not afford  
> the employer sponsored insurance.
>
> Anyone who will not have insurance by 12/31/07
>
> If you do not fit to any of the above categories but have gotten  
> "free care in the past" or you feel strongly that the free care  
> pool should not be changed please free feel to submit written  
> testimony as well.
>
> Thank you in advance for you help on this matter
>
> Please send your written testimony or let us know if you want to  
> testify (we will help you prepare for it in advance and will help  
> you with your written testimony as well) to:
>
> Feedback at healthcareforartists.org
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kathleen Bitetti
> Artist
> Executive Director
> Artists Foundation
> www.artistsfoundation.org
> www.healthcareforartists.org
> _______________________________________________
> Artists Foundation mailing list
> For more information, or unsubscribing, visit:
> http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/artfound-list
> _______________________________________________

Donna Penn
See our fine art and notecard website at www.krausedesigninc.com
For info on the Dorchester Arts Collaborative & Dorchester Open  
Studios, see: www.thedac.org


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.thedac.org/pipermail/dacmail_thedac.org/attachments/20070816/d6f60a57/attachment.html