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.

“The General Assembly’s refusal to expand Medicaid to date has hurt all Virginians. It obviously has hurt people whose incomes are below the poverty level because it denies them access to health care,” said Tim Jost, a Virginia Organizing supporter and nationally recognized healthcare expert. “It hurts Virginia by daily sending federal tax money to other states to pay for their Medicaid expansion while not benefiting from the new jobs and infusion of federal funds into Virginia that expansion would bring. It is time to get Medicaid expansion done—for all Virginians!”

This demonstration is part of a statewide week of action. By organizing events from Southwest Virginia to the Eastern Shore, community members are standing up to demand Medicaid expansion in 2018.

To interview a spokesperson about this event, contact Isabel Castillo at (540) 830-6023 or Isabel@virginia-organizing.org.