What: Rally in support of Medicaid expansion
When: Thursday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: The Rotunda at UVA (University Avenue side)
Charlottesville, Va. — Virginia Organizing, Indivisible Charlottesville, the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP, and other community groups will hold a demonstration in support of Medicaid expansion on Thursday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m. on the University Avenue side of the Rotunda at UVA.
On February 18, known in Richmond as “Budget Sunday,” the House of Delegates and Senate will release their respective budgets. Virginia Organizing leaders want local legislators to fight for Medicaid expansion in this year’s budget process.
Medicaid expansion will provide health coverage to 240,000 uninsured Virginians, create 30,000 jobs, and bring millions of federal dollars back into the state. After years of refusing expansion, the General Assembly has an opportunity to do the right thing.
“We are pushing for Medicaid expansion because there are too many who wake up every morning and go to work at their full time job and still can’t afford health care,” said Valerie Washington, a Virginia Organizing leader in Charlottesville. “We need to push to close the gap so that more people can receive health coverage and not have to worry about whether to buy food for their families or prescriptions for themselves.”
This demonstration is part of a statewide month of action. From the mountains in Southwest to the Eastern Shore, in actions all around Virginia, community members are standing up to demand Medicaid expansion in 2018.
To interview a spokesperson about this event, contact Rosemary Gould at 434-962-7261 or rosemary@virginia-organizing.o
