The Community Benefit & Economic Stability Project seeks to strengthen consumer health advocacy capacity to develop community-driven financial assistance, billing and collection policies that help hospitals better serve their communities and promote economic justice.
This week, two congressional hearings on lowering prescription drug prices took center stage. The House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee held hearings on the high cost of prescription drugs. [ Blog ]
In response to public demand, today the House Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, is holding a legislative hearing entitled, "Lower Drug Costs Now: Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care." [ Press Release ]
The American Families Plan would make permanent the American Rescue Plan’s increased ACA marketplace tax credits for people who buy their own insurance. [ Press Release ]
Tomorrow night’s state of the union marks the first time President Biden will speak to Congress. Our job is to remind the Biden administration and policymakers that health care is central to infrastructure – and the time to be bold is now. [ Alert ]
Community Catalyst releases statement on the confirmation of Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender person confirmed by the U.S. Senate, as Assistant Secretary of HHS. [ Press Release ]
Community Catalyst releases statement on the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. [ Press Release ]
Today, the U.S. Senate begins debate on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, comprehensive legislation to provide economic relief to people in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the country. [ Press Release ]
Over half of community hospitals in the United States are private, nonprofit organizations which receive tax-exempt status in exchange for providing community benefit. [ Blog ]
Community Catalyst launches the Community Benefit & Economic Stability Project. [ Press Release ]
It is impossible to ignore the acute devastation faced by many Black individuals and their families during the current dual public health and economic crises. [ Blog ]
As Congress presses ahead on crafting its COVID-19 relief package, one of the issues they should address is the growing problem of medical debt. Medical debt is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy and has caused irreparable harm in many co... [ Blog ]
When Izzy Benasso suffered a knee injury from a game of tennis, she underwent surgery, later receiving a total bill of $96,377 from Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colorado. After several adjustments and discounts by the hospital, Izzy was bille... [ Blog ]
Project Description: Georgia Watch will leverage the policy expertise and relationships Georgians for a Healthy Future has in the region, as well as the local knowledge and community trust that SOWEGA Rising has as a grassroots, black-led organization based in Southwest Georgia. The partnership will educate Georgians about their rights and work with community groups and local health care providers to implement community-specific polices to address local needs around me dical billing and debt.
Georgia Watch is a statewide non-profit leading consumer advocacy. They advocate for policies that reduce the energy burden of struggling families, expand access to quality, affordable health care, open doors to the financial mainstream, and improve access to the civil justice system.
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaWatch
Georgia Watch (@georgiawatch) / Twitter
SOWEGA Rising is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Southwest Georgia. The goal is to facilitate Southwest Georgia’s rise from the bottom of the state to the top of the list of quality of life metrics by empowering individuals and revitalizing communities through rural revitalization, community organizing, education, coalition-building and advocacy in the areas of human and civil rights and social justice, and by increasing citizen engagement in the democratic processes of our state.
Georgians for a Healthy Future
Georgians for a Healthy Future's mission is to build and mobilize a unified voice, vision, and leadership to achieve a healthy future for all Georgians. They provide a strong voice for Georgia consumers and communities on the health care issues and decisions that impact their lives.
https://www.facebook.com/HealthyFutureGA
https://www.twitter.com/healthyfuturega
https://www.linkedin.com/company/georgians-for-a-healthy-future
Project Description: New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty will work with Casa de Salud and Forward Together to strengthen consumer advocacy in New Mexico to reduce medical debt by addressing unfair billings and collections practices in hospitals statewide. The partnership will engage families in low-income communities to work with state policymakers and hospitals to maximize public funding and strengthen financial assistance programs.
New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty
The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty is dedicated to advancing economic and social justice through education, advocacy and litigation. We work with low-income New Mexicans to improve living conditions, increase opportunities and protect the rights of people living in poverty. Through Roadmaps to Health Community Grants, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and its partners will help agricultural workers get the pay they are entitled to and ensure that the DWS is properly enforcing state labor laws.
New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty | Facebook
https://twitter.com/NMPovertyLaw
Justice, Access, Support and Solutions for Health (Casa de Salud)
Casa de Salud is a permanent project of Justice, Access, Support and Solutions for Health (JAZZ for Health), a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization. Casa de Salud is a non-profit community based integrative primary care serving primarily uninsured patients.
https://www.facebook.com/casadesaludnm/
https://twitter.com/CasadesaludNM
Forward Together unites communities to win rights, recognition and resources for all families.
They are a steering team partner in the New Mexico Together for Healthcare Campaign and Coalition where they work to influence state and local level policy in the steps towards quality, affordable healthcare for all in New Mexico. Their mission is to interweave traditional and conventional medicines to meet the physical and spiritual health needs of its patients in a welcoming, just, creative, and inclusive environment.
Strong Families New Mexico | Facebook
Forward Together (@FwdTogether) / Twitter
Project Description: The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights will engage in partnership with Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, Mano a Mano, Enlace Chicago, and Legal Council for Health Justice to advance consumer-friendly hospital billing and collection policies and racial justice by advocating for changes in law, policy, and practice through developing a state-wide health education and advocacy campaign. The partnership will engage low-income immigrant communities to advocate for increased transparency and accountability on charity care, as well as advocacy for individual patients and with individual health systems in Cook and the collar counties around Chicago.
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
ICIRR is a statewide non-profit dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrant and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society. ICIRR works in partnership with member organizations to build power and organize immigrant and refugee communities.
Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a bilingual/bicultural agency that empowers Latinas through social services and advocacy initiatives that promote non-violence, reproductive health and leadership development.
https://www.facebook.com/mujereslatinas/
https://twitter.com/Mujereslatinas
Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project
Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project is a social impact organization committed to community organizing for the rights of immigrants in Chicago’s southwest suburbs through education, civic engagement, and advocacy.
https://www.facebook.com/SSIPchicago/
https://twitter.com/SSIPchicago
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssipchicago
Mano a Mano Family Resource Center
Mano a Mano offers a one-stop-shop for culturally competent health resources and services, educational classes and workshops, and immigration legal services for vulnerable communities. Their mission is to empower immigrants and their families to become full participants in their community.
https://www.facebook.com/manoamanofamilyresourcecenter
https://www.instagram.com/manoamanofamilyresourcecenter/
Enlace Chicago convenes, organizes, and builds the capacity of the Little Village neighborhood stakeholders to confront inequities and barriers to economic and social access. Enlace Chicago believes in building power through collaboration and grassroots leadership, promotes livable communities with access and opportunity for all, and values social justice and systems change.
http://www.facebook.com/enlacechicago
http://www.twitter.com/enlacechicago
Legal Council for Health Justice
Legal Council for Health Justice uses the power of the law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing barriers due to illness or disability. They fight for affordable health coverage and prescriptions, safe and stable housing, a free and appropriate education, the nutritious food communities needs to stay healthy, and other resources influenced by social determinants of health.
https://www.facebook.com/legalcouncilforhealthjustice
Tomorrow night’s state of the union marks the first time President Biden will speak to Congress. Our job is to remind the Biden administration and policymakers that health care is central to infrastructure – and the time to be bold is now. [ Alert ]
For the first time in over ten years, Congress has an opportunity to build on the foundation created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Community Catalyst 2021-22 legislative priorities reflect this unique moment. [ Publication ]
Check out our medical debt infographic. [ Resource ]
Especially during a pandemic, when people’s care-seeking behavior affects not just themselves, but also their loved ones, co-workers and community, we must remove all barriers to accessing health care. [ Publication ]
This fact sheet compares how “community benefit” is typically used in the economic development and healthcare contexts. [ Publication ]
Follow the stories, successes, and challenges of three community-based organizations and coalitions as they build skills and partnerships with local hospitals to address social and economic challenges impacting the health of local residents. [ Publication ]
This dashboard outlines five core principles that hospital community benefit staff and community organizations can use to evaluate and strengthen current practices, with a focus on achieving health equity and meaningful community engagement. [ Publication ]
This paper seeks to inform state and local efforts to strengthen the connection between hospital community benefit programs and health equity investments in Connecticut. [ Publication ]
Tax exempt non-profit hospitals around the country spend billions of dollars each year as part of their community benefit obligations. But do those investments really move the needle in improving community health? [ Publication ]
This publication outlines the key elements of the final regulations related to patient billing—financial assistance, charges, billing and collections. It provides brief contextual insight into the policy issues the regulations seek to address. [ Publication ]
Community Health Needs Assessment federal regulations require hospitals to address disparities in health care, a key issue Community Catalyst pushed for in comments throughout the rule-making process. The regulations also acknowledge the impact of medical debt on community health, a connection Community Catalyst emphasized in comments.
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