MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release: April 16, 2013
CONTACT:
Brett Abrams : 516-841-1105 : brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com
Amanda Pohl : 804-337-1912 : amanda@virginia-organizing.org
Fredericksburg Business Owner to Deliver Letter to Howell’s Office After the Speaker Cites Lack of Business Support for Medicaid
VIRGINIA — On Wednesday, April 16th, Lee Russell, a butcher and business owner from Fredericksburg, will deliver a letter signed by 451 current and former small business leaders from across Virginia to Speaker William Howell at his district office in Fredericksburg. The letter urges Speaker Howell to stop blocking Medicaid and provide approximately 400,000 Virginians with access to affordable health care coverage.
The letter comes just days after Speaker Howell defended his decision to block uninsured, low-income Virginians from accessing Medicaid by telling The Washington Post, “It’s not like there’s a groundswell of business or traditional allies calling up. All we’re hearing from is the hospital people and MoveOn.org people.”
WHO/WHAT: Lee Russell, owner of Olde Towne Butcher in Fredericksburg, will be delivering the letter to Speaker William Howell at his district office on behalf of the 451 small business leaders who signed the letter in support of Medicaid expansion.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 16th,1:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: Office of Speaker Howell, 106 Carter St. Falmouth/Fredericksburg, VA 22405
VIEW THE LETTER HERE: http://virginia-organizing.org/sites/default/files/VirginiaSmallBusinessOwnersMedicaidExpansionLetter.pdf
“No one in the state should have to live with the fear of major medical bills which they cannot pay," said Frans J. Kok, a small business owner who operates a tree farm in Round Hill, who signed the letter.
“Under Medicaid expansion, the federal government pays 100 percent the first three years and at least 90 percent in future years. States that sign on early reap the most benefit. If Virginia does not participate, the money that hard-working individuals and families put into the program will not return to Virginia,“ explained Stephanie Vaughn who runs a small business selling aquatic gear in Winchester.
“We hope Speaker Howell will see that a wide range of Virginians, including small business owners, Virginians interested in the economic benefits of expansion, religious leaders, and directly affected people, are all in support of Medicaid expansion,” said Sandra A. Cook, Chairperson of Virginia Organizing, one of the organizations that has been working with local business on this effort.
“We cannot wait any longer for the uninsured to get coverage,” said Cook. “It’s irresponsible and unreasonable to ask people to go without health care because the Virginia House of Delegates would rather play political games with their health and lives.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-republicans-arent-blinking-in-medicaid-showdown/2014/04/13/090b39da-bf33-11e3-b574-f8748871856a_story.html
For interviews with members of Virginia Main Street Alliance, please contact Brett Abrams at 516-841-1105 or by email at brett@fitzgibbonmedia.com.
# # # # #
The Virginia Main Street Alliance is a statewide network of small businesses collaborating to advance state and national legislation implementing comprehensive solutions to address the needs of small businesses in Virginia. Our growing network includes 300 small businesses in the Commonwealth that typically employ 1-100 employees and are the backbone of the local economy. For more information: http://mainstreetalliance.org/virginia/
