In an effort to keep you informed of the work NASW is doing on health care reform, we will periodically send out a roundup of activities.

NASW offices are closed December 24 - January 1. While we will be monitoring the developments of health care reform, the next Health Care Reform Roundup will be distributed the week of January 4.

Senate Breaks Logjam on Health Reform
After nearly 20 days of continuous debate, the Senate finally appears ready to complete consideration of its version of health reform legislation, HR. 3590. When Senate consideration is complete, a conference committee process between the House and Senate will occur, and conferees will negotiate a final agreement that must again pass both chambers. As the Senate completes consideration of their version, NASW has called on you to contact your Senators to support passage of their bill (H.R. 3590). A link to our most recent action alert is here.

The Senate breakthrough this week came in the form of a manager’s amendment that dropped the government-run insurance plan, or public option, which NASW supported. The now amended Senate bill would create a new system of national, private insurance plans supervised by the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which currently administers health benefits for federal employees. OPM would be required to recruit at least two insurers to participate in a new system of national health insurance plans, and one must be a nonprofit. Additionally, states would organize and regulate their own insurance exchanges that would sell private plans available on a statewide basis. The new Senate amendment includes a financial requirement for private insurers that would establish minimums on insurers’ premium revenues that must be spent on medical claims known as the “medical loss ratio.” The latest Senate changes also tighten restrictions on insurance coverage for abortion, another crucial NASW concern.

Conference Committee Considerations
Conferees’ room for maneuvering is expected to be limited because any changes in the final conference bill could unravel the agreement that provided Democrats with the 60 votes necessary for final Senate passage. Conferees will have to find compromises on divisive issues such as abortion coverage, revenues to pay for expanded coverage, whether to include a government-run plan, and methods to expand coverage to those unable to pay full costs. On each of these issues the Senate is expected to have a stronger hand in negotiations.

At this time it is unclear what process House and Senate Democratic leaders will use for conference committee consideration. They may work out their differences in negotiations with a small group of Democratic leaders and committee chairmen, supported by key congressional staff. NASW expects the process will start at the staff level soon after the Senate passes its bill. Leaders hope to have the final bill on the President’s desk by late January.

NASW Strategy

When conference committee consideration begins, NASW will express its preferences among key competing provisions of the House and Senate bills. Among the differences NASW expects to weigh in on are provisions concerning Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility coverage of clinical social work services, workforce provisions under the Social Work Reinvestment Act, the public option, and reproductive choice. NASW is aware the final bill may not measure up to all the hopes of its members, but we will continue to press for improvements to the bill as it moves toward passage. To stay in touch with congressional developments and NASW’s response, please follow our webpage here.

Employment Non-Discrimination Act

NASW continues to work diligently on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R.3017/S.1584).  With 194 sponsors in the House of Representatives and 44 in the Senate, E.N.D.A. has begun to attract enormous attention.  The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is dedicated to the principle that every worker should be judged solely on his or her merits.  Further, hardworking Americans should not be kept from supporting their families and making a positive contribution to the economic life of our nation due characteristics that have no bearing whatsoever on their acumen to do a job.  The Association remains allied with traditional civil rights groups who affirm that inequality and discrimination subvert the principles of Democracy.

Political Climate
Despite the many twists and turns health care reform has taken in the past several months, we are not necessarily closer to a solution in mid-December than we were in mid-September.  The Senate still has not completed its own bill, and is trying to write legislation that can earn 60 votes.  Once they do so, a conference between House and Senate negotiators will have to occur in order to send a single bill to President Obama.  At this point, no one can guarantee when such a conference will take place.  The cause of this delay is simple: for all the attention rightfully placed on abortion-related aspects of the discussion, there is still no agreement on the fundamental way in which more Americans would receive health care coverage.  Many reasonable approaches have been mentioned in the Senate, including expansion of Medicare and a public option.  But one week before Christmas Day, there is still no single plan that has garnered the support of 60 Senators.  Until that happens, there can be no conference with the House and thus no bill for President Obama to sign into law.NASW has called on its members to contact their Senators to support the bill (H.R. 3590), and a link to our most recent action alert is here. NASW has written to Majority Leader Reid supporting the Senate reform bill, and a copy may be viewed on the NASW Web site.

Reinvestment for Educators
NASW President Jim Kelly, Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors President Freddie Avant, and Action Network for Social Work Education and Research Chair Jeane Anastas, recently filmed a video regarding “Reinvestment for Educators” to discuss why the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative is important for social work educators. The bill will support recruitment of new social work students, retain experienced social workers, and fund social work education and research. To view the full legislation, please click here. After viewing the video, please send a letter of support to your Representative and Senators.

Social Work Medicare Equity Act in Health Care Reform
Section 1307 of the House health care reform bill (H.R. 3200) authorizes clinical social workers eligible to participate under Medicare Part B to bill independently for services to Medicare Part A covered residents of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). The provision removes Part B-eligible clinical social work services from the Medicare SNF per diem rate and alternatively authorizes them to bill for them separately. This is a long-sought change by NASW that will expand the availability of clinical social work services to SNF residents covered by Medicare Part A and provide parity recognition for the profession in a SNF setting. The Senate version of health care reform legislation (H.R. 3590) does not contain a similar provision, and this difference must be ironed out in conference committee on the legislation. NASW is working with House and Senate offices to support the provision when conference committee consideration begins.

SWRA Provisions Advance on Health Care Reform
There are several provisions within Health care reform legislation, H.R. 3590, which advance the Social Work Reinvestment Act (SWRA).  Related provisions are contained in the House-passed measure, H.R. 3200. The Senate bill includes the following key provisions addressing social work professional education and training needs:

• Sec. 3508 - Establishes a demonstration program to integrate quality improvement and patient safety training into clinical education of health professionals. Schools of social work are among the eligible grantees.

• Sec. 5101 - Creates a National health care workforce commission tasked with reviewing health care workforce and projected workforce needs. The needs of the social work profession are among those that would be considered by the Commission and schools of social work also have representation.

• Sec. 5102 - Creates state health care workforce development competitive grants to s. enabling State partnerships to complete comprehensive planning and to carry out activities leading to coherent and comprehensive health care workforce development strategies at the State and local levels. All health professions are eligible for state planning attention, including social work.

• Sec. 5203 - Establishes health and behavioral health workforce loan repayment programs for pediatric subspecialists and providers of mental and behavioral health services to children and adolescents who are or will be working in a Health Professional Shortage Area, Medically Underserved Area, or with a medically underserved population.

• Sec. 5305 - Authorizes funding for geriatric education and training; career awards; comprehensive geriatric education to advanced practice nurses, clinical social workers, pharmacists, and psychologists.

• Sec. 5306 - Awards to mental and behavioral health education and training grants to schools for the development, expansion, or enhancement of training programs in social work, graduate psychology, professional training in child and adolescent mental health, and pre-service or in-service training to paraprofessionals in child and adolescent mental health.

• Section 756 of the Public Health Services Act is amended to include language regarding the qualifications of institutions eligible for these training grants and that at least four will go to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) or Minority Serving Institutions (MSI).  Authorization for up to $8 million in funds is provided for social work.

Medicare MD & MSW Fee Schedule Update
Clinical social workers that participate in Medicare Part B will have their payment rates temporarily protected against large cuts scheduled for 2010 because Congress acted on a short-term bill to delay the cut required by the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which determines outpatient payment rates in Medicare and TRICARE. The SGR formula is frequently inappropriately described as the Medicare “physician fee” formula, but it actually sets the rate of increase or decrease for all Medicare Part B independent practitioners, including clinical social workers. NASW supports legislation that would halt scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to clinical social workers and other health professionals and has urged Congress to adopt legislation to recalibrate how these payments are set each year. See NASW’s letter to Congress here.

Correcting the problem before the rate cuts go into effect on Jan. 1, each year is politically difficult due to the multi-billion dollar costs of correcting the formula. Current law requires large annual reductions in Medicare SGR determined fees, which include rates paid to clinical social workers. Congress rejected several earlier SGR bills this fall, but then passed an eight week extension into February, enabling it to address the payment problem once it finishes work on health care reform. NASW is continuing to work with coalition partners in support of an SGR remedy.

Appropriations Bill Funds Study on Mental Workforce Issues
During the week of December 9, Congress finished the annual appropriations bill for the federal FY 2010, Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, which is available on the House Appropriations website. One item of special interest to the social work profession is the inclusion of $900,000 for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to study mental health workforce needs focused on (1) a systematic analysis of the current and projected mental and behavioral healthcare needs of the American people, particularly for aging and growing ethnic populations; and (2) developing policy recommendations for achieving a competent and well-trained mental health workforce to address those needs.  Congressional authors justified the study as necessary in light of the projected doubling of the aged population by 2030, new evidence of the importance of addressing mental health needs as part of effective chronic disease management, increased numbers of veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, improved diagnostic techniques, and implementation of the new federal mental health parity law. The study expands on IOM’s 2008 broader study on the geriatric workforce, which did not explore mental health workforce needs in depth. NASW worked with other mental health professional groups to support this funding in the new law, and will advocate vigorously for the representation of the social work profession in the work of the IOM.

Health Legislation Prospects for 2010
At the start of the new year, Congress is not expected to consider major new health legislation, but congressional committees will consider routine health legislation, particularly those bills that were set aside last year to make time for health reform legislation. These include the 21st Century Cancer ALERT Act, reauthorization of HHS/Public Health Service programs under the jurisdiction of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Furthermore, congressional oversight of new federal programs to promote the use of health information technology (HIT) and to protect confidential patient information is expected to be a priority. NASW will represent clinical social worker interests to ensure the profession is included for all Medicare HIT incentive payments and that psychotherapy notes are protected in federal privacy regulations.
Congress also faces a variety of funding challenges to implement health care reform, particularly programs that support the education and training of the health professions. NASW will aggressively pursue expanded federal support for the social work profession in these federal initiatives. As in past years, Congress has not settled on a long-term solution to the Medicare physician payment formula, which also determines the payment rate for clinical social workers and all the health professions that directly bill Medicare Part B.  NASW will continue to advocate for adequate payment rates for the profession during this protracted debate. NASW members who wish to stay informed about health and behavioral health developments in the new Congress should follow NASW’s webpage.

NIH Approves New Stem Cell Lines
On December 2, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved 13 new human embryonic stem cell lines for use by NIH funded researchers. Another 96 embryonic stem cell lines are undergoing NIH review. In March, President Obama expanded the number of such cell lines beyond those available under a policy set by President George W. Bush, which permitted research to begin only with lines already available on Aug. 9, 2001. To read more, go to the NIH press release.

Needle and Syringe Exchanges Ban Lifted
On December 13, the Senate passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY2010 by a vote of 57 - 35.  The President is expected to sign the bill before the continuing resolution expires.  Among many other important provisions, the bill removes the federal funding ban on syringe exchange. The provision allows the distribution of syringes through syringe exchange as long as local public health or local law enforcement authorities do not object to a specific location as being inappropriate for distribution.

NASW Supports Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act
On November 30, NASW sent a letter to Senator Blanche Lincoln (AR) thanking her for introducing S. 2837 the Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act. The bill will help ensure a workforce that can accurately assess the strengths and needs of children and families, connect children and their families to services, monitor their progress, and improve outcomes for children. NASW sent an alert to the Advocacy Listserv looking for cosponsors.

Immigration Bill Introduced in House
Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL-4) introduced immigration legislation, Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity (H.R. 4321), in the House on December 15. Congress is beginning to shape the immigration debate with the introduction of this bill and NASW is developing our strategy. You can view the bill here. Immigration will be an important issue tackled in 2010.

Veteran’s Affairs
Recently, we heard from a member of NASW who is an MSW student and a veteran who recently returned from Afghanistan.  He hoped to find a mental health counselor who was both a veteran and a social worker.  While he strongly supports the work of all social workers, he wanted to find one who could directly relate to his experience in war.  The Veterans Administration in his area was unable to locate such a person for him, and other non-VA efforts came up empty as well.

This is a clear connection between member needs and NASW advocacy.  Veterans represent a constituency who may choose to enter social work to benefit both their peers and other members of society, but only if there is a distinct path for them to do so.  Thus, NASW has intensified its focus on veteran’s issues.  This improvement is meant to benefit not just veterans, but the field of social work as well.

Senate Continues Consideration of Health Care Reform

The Senate is currently debating health care reform legislation. Numerous amendments are pending and each will require 60 votes for passage, a high threshold for inclusion. NASW has mobilized its members on reproductive rights, coverage for routine patient care costs associated with clinical trials participation, and we anticipate further mobilization on other issues in the debate. Final passage may occur late this week, and reconciliation of differences with the House versions could extend into early 2010.

NASW has recently called on all of its members to contact their Senators to support the bill (H.R. 3590), and a link to our most recent action alert is here. NASW has written to Majority Leader Reid supporting the Senate reform bill, and a copy may be viewed on the NASW Web site.

NASW Supports Clinical Trials Amendment

On December 7, NASW sent a letter to Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) in support of their amendment to H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment would require that all third-party payers cover routine patient care costs incurred by patients enrolled in clinical trials. The amendment will apply to all phases of clinical trials for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

To view the entire letter, please go here.

Social Work Medicare Equity Act in HCR

Section 1307 of the House health care reform bill (H.R. 3200) authorizes clinical social workers eligible to participate under Medicare Part B to bill independently for services to Medicare Part A covered residents of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). The provision removes Part B-eligible clinical social work services from the Medicare SNF per diem rate and alternatively authorizes them to bill for them separately. This is a long-sought change by NASW that will provide parity recognition for the profession in a SNF setting and expand the availability of clinical social work services to SNF residents covered by Medicare Part A. The Senate version of health care reform legislation (H.R. 3590) does not contain a similar provision, meaning the difference between the two bills must be ironed out in conference committee on the health reform legislation. NASW will work with House and Senate offices to support the provision when conference committee consideration begins.

Medicare MD & MSW Fee Schedule Update

Clinical social workers that participate in Medicare Part B will have their payment rates protected against large cuts scheduled for 2010 if Congress acts quickly on legislation to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which determines outpatient payment rates in Medicare and TRICARE. The SGR formula is frequently inappropriately described as the Medicare “physician fee” formula, but it actually sets the rate of increase or decrease for all Medicare Part B independent practitioners, including clinical social workers. NASW supports legislation that would halt scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to clinical social workers and other health professionals and has urged Congress to adopt legislation to recalibrate how these payments are set each year. See NASW’s letter to Congress here.

Correcting the problem before the rate cuts go into effect on Jan. 1, is politically difficult due to the multi-billion dollar costs of correcting the formula. Current law requires large annual reductions in Medicare SGR determined fees, which include rates paid to clinical social workers. Congress has rejected several SGR bills this fall, but is expected to address the payment problem once it finishes work on health care reform. There is a real possibility that corrective legislation may not pass until sometime after the cuts go into effect on Jan. 1. In the past Congress has occasionally failed to enact the SGR payment legislation by the end of the year, but has later passed retroactive legislation that restores provider payment rates. Without congressional action, payment rates for Medicare physician and clinical social worker services will drop by 21 percent on January 1, 2010. NASW is continuing to work with coalition partners in support of an SGR remedy.

Appropriations Bill Funds Study on Mental Workforce Issues

This past weekend, Congress finished the annual appropriations bill for the federal FY 2010, Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, which is available here on the House Appropriations website. One item of special interest to the social work profession is the inclusion of $900,000 for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to study mental health workforce needs focused on (1) a systematic analysis of the current and projected mental and behavioral healthcare needs of the American people, particularly for aging and growing ethnic populations; and (2) developing policy recommendations for achieving a competent and well-trained mental health workforce to address those needs. Congressional authors justified the study as necessary in light of the projected doubling of the aged population by 2030, new evidence of the importance of addressing mental health needs as part of effective chronic disease management, increased numbers of veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, improved diagnostic techniques, and implementation of the new federal mental health parity law. The study expands on IOM’s 2008 broader study on the geriatric workforce, which did not explore mental health workforce needs in depth. NASW worked with other mental health professional groups to support this funding in the new law, and plans to advocate vigorously for the representation of the social work profession in the work of the IOM.

Items of Interest from the White House

New Video by Vice President Biden on Seniors and Health Reform

http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/vice-president-biden-dispells-myths-around-medicare-and-health-reform

Reality Check: CMS Report Confirms Reform Will Benefit Seniors, Slow Cost Growth

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/11/reality-check-cms-report-confirms-reform-will-benefit-seniors-slow-cost-growth

Take Action Today - Click here!

Action Requested

Please contact your Senator today and urge them to support passage of health care reform legislation. Tell them passage of this legislation (H.R. 3590) is vital to rebuilding the nation’s health and economic security and you urge an “aye” vote on the floor.

NASW members that are constituents of the following Senators are especially encouraged to let your representative know your views. Key swing votes are: Collins R-ME; Landrieu D-LA; Lieberman I-CT; Nelson D-NE; Snowe R-ME; Lincoln D-AR; Bayh D-IN; and Webb D-VA.

Background

Social workers are long-time advocates for major health care reform. For decades they have carried the vision of former Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, a pioneer in the social work profession, who included universal health care on the 12-item agenda she brought to President Franklin Roosevelt. This was the only item on her agenda that did not pass into law, and social workers have actively sought health care reform since that time.

NASW believes the health reform legislation, H.R. 3590, now pending before the Senate will provide more affordable, quality coverage for millions more Americans. It calls for shared responsibility by individuals, employers and government and would also expand health insurance coverage choices, including retaining one’s current coverage, expanding private plan options within the states, and offering a Medicare buy-in option for residents aged 55-64. NASW gave its support to the Senate bill when floor debate began two weeks ago, and since then important changes have been made in the bill. You may view our Senate letter here on the NASW Web site.

Although details of the latest Senate Democratic changes on health care reform are not yet public, the outlines are known and they please many supporters of reform. The new deal would substitute the original rather weak “public option” in favor of a large expansion of Medicare coverage. An important advantage of the new compromise is that it would limit the high administrative costs of for-profit insurers, and offer Medicare coverage for those aged 55-64. Senate leaders have kept the details under wraps to preserve their freedom to rewrite their plan if initial Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates of its cost prove unsatisfactory.

Another aspect of the latest proposal would create a new system of private national health insurance plans administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency that currently manages health care benefits for federal employees. In the House, OPM is overseen by the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Edolphus Towns D-NY, a life-long professional social worker and supporter of NASW. Rep. Towns would therefore have major influence over the new national plans developed by OPM.

Last, an item of special interest to the social work profession is the Senate bill’s inclusion of important provisions from the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act, (SWRA). The Senate and House bills contain similar provisions that would authorize several million dollars for social work education and training grants in mental and behavioral health.  Furthermore, some of these grants are targeted to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) or Minority Serving Institutions (MSI).  NASW is very pleased social worker advocacy has been so successful on this important issue.

For more information on health care reform, visit our Web page

Take Action!

S. 2837, The Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act, was recently introduced by Senator Lincoln and aims to improve the child welfare workforce for the thousands of children and families who depend on this system every day. NASW lobbyists worked for many years to create this legislation, in collaboration with the Children’s Defense Fund and other coalition partners, and we are fully committed to enhancing the federal response to protect children and to prevent abuse and neglect. Highlights of the bill:

• A study that would result in recommendations to recruit and retain a high quality workforce to include training, workloads, and staff supervision.
• Flexible use of Title IV-E training dollars to support child welfare staff providing preventive, protective, reunification, and post-permanency services in addition to foster care, kinship guardianship, and adoption services.
• A demonstration grant program to help states and municipalities improve their workforce. Projects would focus on improving the child welfare systems’ ability to conduct needs assessments and secure resources.

Action Requested:

Please contact your Senator and ask them to cosponsor The Child Welfare Workforce Improvement Act (S. 2837). Let them know that passage of this important legislation will enable social workers and other professionals to improve the crucial services for children and families in the child welfare system.

Thanks for your advocacy!

Several Amendments Dominate Debate in Senate on Health Care Reform

There are 91 amendments to the Senate Health Care Reform bill. A list of all the Senate amendments to the Health Care Reform bill can be found here. The list is compiled by OpenLeft.com, a news, analysis and action website dedicated toward building a progressive governing majority in America.

State-by State Analysis of the Impact of Health Care Reform

The Department of Health and Human Services has released an analysis of the impact of healthcare reform on a state-by-state basis.

Senate Tables the Nelson Abortion Amendment

On December 8, the Senate voted to table or set aside the amendment offered by Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE).  The Nelson amendment to the health care reform bill would have banned the use of federal taxpayer money for abortions failed by a vote of 54-45.

The Nelson amendment was similar to the Stupak/Pitts abortion amendment that was added to the passed House health care reform bill last month.   With the inclusion of the Stupak/Pitts amendment, the House bill would prohibit the proposed new government-run insurance plan from covering abortions except in cases of rape, incest or to save a mother’s life, and bars any health plan receiving federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace from offering abortion coverage.

NASW strongly opposes the Stupak/Pitts inclusion in the House bill and advocates for its removal when the House and Senate negotiates the bills during conference committee.

Rally for Reproductive Rights in Health Care Reform a Success

Hundreds of people came to Capitol Hill from as far away as California to rally for reproductive rights in health care reform. NASW sponsored the event along with other organizations. The room in the Capitol building was filled to capacity and there was need to use an overflow room to accommodate the participants. In addition to the rally, individuals lobbied their members of Congress.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: J. Jioni Palmer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be on the House Floor TONIGHT to discuss job creation in the African American community.

The Special Order Hour will be anchored by CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-CA). The Special Order Hour will be broadcast on C-SPAN.

WHAT: Special Order Hour on job creation in the African American community

WHO: Members of the Congressional Black Caucus

WHEN: TONIGHT, Wednesday, December, 2009 at approximately 7:00/8:00 pm.

WHERE: U.S. House of Representatives, House Floor

www.thecongressionalblackcaucus.com

Becky Myers, LSW, ACSW
Director, External Relations
Dec 3, 2009

Today, staff and members of NASW attended the National Lobby Day and Rally against the Stupak Amendment. NASW was a sponsor and worked to plan and implement the event. The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to the health care reform legislation sponsored by Bart Stupak (MI-1) and Joe Pitts (PA-16). This “Stupak” amendment would restrict access to abortion procedures for consumers who receive subsidies to buy insurance in a reconfigured health care system. Pro-choice organizations are very concerned the new language threatens the availability of private insurance coverage for comprehensive reproductive health care services. Today these groups joined forces to lobby their members of Congress and rally against this amendment being included in the Senate healthcare reform package and conference legislation.

The rally was led by Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood, and sponsored by a number of women’s, religious, professional, campus, and related groups in support of reproductive choice. The support from members of Congress was overwhelming with many in attendance including social worker Susan Davis, Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Patty Murray, Rep. Jerry Nadler, Rep. Nita Lowey, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. Dianna DeGette, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, and Rep. Donna Edwards. Additional speakers included Ellie Smeal from the Feminist Majority, Willie Parker, the Medical Director with Planned Parenthood of Metro DC, and Rev. Carlton Veazey

The crowd was quite large and included all ages, races, and genders. People came from all over the United States and from 38 different college campuses. The overall message was that we are all in support of healthcare reform and universal access for everyone, but not on the backs of women. Everyone expressed that healthcare reform efforts should be targeted to increase access, not deny women the right to choose, and absolutely not to reverse current law.

Stand up for reproductive choice today by contacting your Representative and Senators today!

We are passing this along from the White House.

On Thursday, President Obama is hosting a discussion at the White House to explore every possible avenue for job creation. Small business owners, CEOs, economists, financial experts, and nonprofit groups, as well as Americans who have felt the impact of this economic crisis firsthand, will be there to share ideas.

But you don’t need to be here on Thursday to participate. You can join the discussion by organizing your own jobs forum with your family, friends, and co-workers — because these conversations can take place in living rooms and conference tables, not just arenas and convention centers.

We’re looking for community leaders like you from all across the country to host discussions from now until December 13th. Your community jobs forum will be a source of insights and ideas that will inform the President’s approach to job creation.

To get started, let us know you’re interested, and we’ll send you information that may help you organize a successful jobs forum in your community:

In the coming days, we’ll follow up with discussion questions and other materials to help make your event as productive as possible. We’re not able to offer an events center where anyone can find events already happening, so if you haven’t heard of one in your area, start your own and reach out to your network for participants.

After the event, we’ll provide a simple online tool for you to submit job creation ideas and thoughts. Back here at the White House, we’ll compile your feedback and send it to the Oval Office for review.

With all of us working together, we’ll get America working again. Get started organizing a jobs forum in your community today.

Look forward to hearing from you,

Valerie

Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement
The White House

Health Care Reform Process Begins in the Senate

The Senate will begin debating health care reform legislation this week. Numerous amendments are expected to be introduced. Each will require 60 votes to pass, a high threshold for inclusion. There may be alerts in the next couple of weeks about the amendments. We anticipate the final vote on the Senate bill in the third week of December, with a conference committee between the House and the Senate versions to take place in January.

NASW Pens Letter to Senator Reid on Health Care Reform

NASW has written a letter to Majority Leader Reid about health care reform. The letter thanks the Senator for introducing the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” NASW noted that it provides more affordable, quality coverage for millions more Americans, calls for shared responsibility by individuals, employers and government, and expands health insurance coverage choices, including being able to retain one’s current coverage, having additional private plan options, and offers in some states a public health insurance option  designed to lower costs and keep insurance companies accountable. You can view the full letter on the NASW Web site.

Rally for Reproductive Health Care on December 2

NASW is joining with other organizations to promote a rally and lobby day on reproductive health care in the health care reform legislation in Washington, DC. The day starts with a training on how to lobby at 9:00am, followed by a briefing at 9:30am. Lobby visits will occur between 10:30 and noon and 2:00 and 4:30pm. The rally is from 12:00-2:00pm. All events will take place in the Dirksen Auditorium. A lobby de-briefing and report back will begin at 4:30pm in the Rayburn Banquet Room, B369. If you plan to participate in the events, please let Dina Kastner know at advocacy@naswdc.org.  If you cannot attend, but would like to send an e-mail to your Senators, please do so here.