What: Media conference on Medicaid expansion and Virginia General Assembly special session

 

When: Tuesday, September 16 at 11 a.m.

 

Where: House Briefing Room, General Assembly Building (201 N. 9^th Street, Richmond, VA 23219)

 

Dorothy Taulbee, Wise County Resident

Edna Gulley, Dickenson County Resident

Thomasine Wilson, Secretary, Virginia Organizing

Ray Scher, Board member, Virginia Organizing

  

Richmond, Va.—Virginia Organizing will hold a media conference for directly affected people to share their stories of why Medicaid expansion is critically important for Virginians.

 

Wise County resident Dorothy Taulbee believes Medicaid expansion is essential for the residents of Southwest Virginia.

 

“I would have died if not for Remote Area Medical (RAM) catching the cancer I had in 2008. I’m thankful for RAM, but no one should have to rely on luck and the kindness of strangers for basic medical care. That’s why we need Medicaid expansion,” said Taulbee.

 

Edna Gulley of Dickenson County also relies on RAM and the Central Appalachia Health Wagon for medical care. Gulley is glad the services are available, but wants people to have access to care year around before minor medical issues become major health problems.

 

“This is not about politics, this is about people’s lives,” said Gulley.

 

“Virginia Organizing wants to make sure that our politicians in Richmond are thinking about folks like Ms. Taulbee and Ms. Gulley when they decide what they will do about Medicaid expansion,” said Virginia Organizing State Governing Board member Ray Scher. “Any action or inaction by our General Assembly has direct consequences for real people.”

 

Virginia Organizing supports Medicaid expansion to provide health care to about 400,000 people and create 30,000 new jobs in Virginia.

 

To interview a spokesperson for Virginia Organizing, please contact Amanda Pohl at 804-337-1912 or amanda@virginia-organizing.org.