In order to get a feel for the state of affairs of health care reform in Texas, we decided to attend the Cover Texas Now Advocacy Day at the Texas State Capital on March 30th, 2011. The advocacy day focused on funding for Medicaid, CHIP, and the creation of a state-run insurance exchange. (TexasImpact.org)
Check out the KXAN news coverage on the event posted on YouTube:
Kudos to the reader who can spot us in the crowd!
Here are the highlights of the event:
• We were asked to be a part of a news segment, and
• We also joined in chants led by the School of Social Work’s very own (and former union organizer) Courtney Weaver. We chanted “3.2 just won’t do,” “kids not cuts,” and “what do we want? Health care! When do we want it? Now!”
• We got to meet some really cool RNs and other health care professionals from San Antonio, Austin, Houston, etc. We even got to eat with the ethics director of a major San Antonio hospital. They gave us great insight into the issues at hand.
• We met with the legislative aide of Senator Kirk Watson (who coincidentally got her BSW at UT Austin
• We went to the gift shop.
• We took an impromptu tour (which was spurred on by our difficulty in finding an exit)
Interested in our thoughts on the event? Keep on reading!
Thy: It was my first time attending a Lobby Day, and I did not know what to expect. When I first reached the steps of the Capitol, I immediately noticed the homemade signs and umbrellas. (Check out the pictures of the signs below!) We were encouraged to wear green to represent our unity in our concern about healthcare and to bring umbrellas to represent the need to tap the rainy day fund. I honestly did not think many people would wear green or bring umbrellas, but to my surprise many concerned advocates did. I was also impressed with the turn out, there were over a 100 people there and from all walks of live. I did an impromptu survey and asked the fellow advocates where they were from, and they were from all over Texas, such as Third Ward Houston, Brazos County, and San Antonio.
Kristen: It was my first time at a Lobby Day as well, and I was also surprised at the wide range of people attending the event. Prior to attending the lobby day, I had spoken to a state trooper who works mostly at the capital right now, and he was saying that there is a much different air to the events at the capital this year. He said there was more tension than in the past. I went to the lobby day not sure what to expect, and I did sense a certain amount of tension, but it wasn’t necessarily hostile. Everyone was there for different reasons. Some people had personal experiences that drew them to the event, and others were professionals in health care and social work that saw the value in the funding of Medicaid and Medicare.
Thy: The press conference soon started, and there were a total of six speakers. The speakers included Terry Little, Senator Rodney Ellis, Representative Sylvester Turner, businessman Lan Bentsen, small business owner Beth, and Dr. Dan Stolts. All of the speakers represented the different people that would be affected by the healthcare budget cuts: politicians, big corporations, small businesses, medical personnel, and families. Each speaker brought their own viewpoint, and I appreciated learning from their different perspectives. For example, Lan Bentsen is an international investor from Houston. He spoke from a business standpoint, and he kept remarking how the budget cuts are simply “bad economics”. He brought up the point that budget cuts would cost Texas more because of the matching federal funds. The budget cuts could cost Texas $20 billion dollars! Another speaker, Dr. Dan Stolts reminded the audience that 67 counties currently do not have hospital facilities, and the budget cuts could significantly increase that number.
All of the speakers presented valid points. Some speakers were more popular than others, and I definitely noticed who received more applause. All of the speakers wanted essentially the same thing. They all asked for the Texas legislature to take a balanced approach to the budget, get rid of loopholes like tax breaks, and to tap into the Rainy Day Fund.
Among the six speakers, there was one that really stood out to me. She was introduced as Terry Little and her family. Terry Little, short for Teresa Hall Little, was a grandmother from Houston. She told her sad story of how she became the guardian of her two grandchildren because the mother died from a drug overdose. She then told the audience about how one of the grandchildren, Lana, was diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (AT), which is a rare, progressive, genetic, recessive, and fatal degenerative disease. I could hear the audience gasp and sympathetically murmur as Terry Little described the disease with all of its horrid adjectives. I then felt a collective indignation grow among the audience as Terry Little talked about the struggles her family had to endure in her fight to keep both of the grandchildren on Medicaid. She had originally wanted to adopt the grandchildren, but the grandchildren would lose their Medicaid. She had to settle for being a legal guardian so the children could keep their Medicaid. Her husband is turning 65 this year, and he will be retiring soon. Terry Little was worried about the future and how the health care reform bill would affect her family. She ended her wretched story with the powerful statement that her grandchildren are just 2 of the 3 million children on Medicaid. To me, her story gave a personal face to the problem. It reminded me that Medicaid serves more than the elderly, it also helps children.
Kristen: Next up was someone many of us know and love…Courtney Weaver! Courtney is a first-year student in both the MSSW and MPAff programs. Prior to coming to UT, Courtney spent time as a union organizer, so who better than her to lead us in chants? She led us in chants, such as “3.2 Just Won’t Do” and “What do you want? Health Care! When do you want it? Now!”
Thy: After the interactive pep rally, I followed the green mass of advocates into the Capitol for lunchtime. Kristen and I met a couple from the Christus Center Rosa Hospital. They were kind people who talked to us about their thoughts on the health care reform bill. Kristen and I had a little trouble finding the room for lunch. The Capitol really is a confusing maze of doors and stairs! Luckily, we found the room and grabbed our lunch. I was really excited that lunch was provided for us, and after a morning of advocating, Schlotzsky’s Deli sure does hit the spot. Kristen and I ended up sitting at a table of health care professionals and we had a lively discussion. Before we knew it, it was time for our legislative visit.
Kristen: Talking to the health care professionals at lunch was enlightening and enjoyable. Most of them were nurses and administrators, but there was even the chair of the ethics committee at one of the bigger hospitals in San Antonio. All of them had been encouraged to go to the lobby day on work time, because their supervisors saw the value in Medicaid and Medicare and in the power of the legislative process. I am quite sure that all of them were very busy people, but they felt strongly enough about the issue to take time out of their week to participate in this event. Of course health insurance coverage has influenced all of them in different ways, but what intrigued me were the personal stories that they shared with us. For example, the chair of the ethics committee was expressing his frustration with who could be on his own insurance plan. He was saying that even though his daughter could still technically be on his insurance, because she has a dependent of her own, she is no longer eligible to be on his plan. Others had similar stories about those they loved and cared about not being covered by any sort of health insurance, and the concern and fear that caused.
Thy: Kristen and I met up with four other advocates, and we had a little pep talk before we entered Senator Kirk Watson’s office. We entered the office, and his legislative assistance Victoria Lippman greeted us. We followed her to the Capitol cafeteria so we could sit down at a round table and have a chat. Immediately, some of the advocates started to share their views and ideas on the healthcare reform bill. I was a bit nervous to speak up, but after a few minutes I felt confident enough to share my thoughts on the importance of medical insurance. I think what made me feel more comfortable was that everyone at the table was very respectful to each other. There were a few suggestions made that I found interesting. Someone suggested an increased tax on cigarettes; someone else talked about creating a tax on sodas. I felt that the legislative visit was informative, and I sincerely hoped Victoria Lippman would be able to accurately relay the information to Senator Kirk Watson.
Kristen: While I enjoyed the legislative visit, I was a bit disappointed that we were not able to meet with Kirk Watson himself, or someone who had more power in the decision making process. From what I understood, Victoria was an MPAff intern in Kirk Watson’s office. She was great, but I didn’t get the feeling that she knew a lot about the issue or his feelings on it. That being said, everyone who met with Victoria had really interesting ideas. I didn’t necessarily think that all of them were relevant to what we are actually lobbying about, but everyone in the group was very informed and had unique perspectives and ideas to share.
Thy: Kristen and I had to leave early because we both had work and class to get back to. Right before we left, we stopped by the gift shop and browsed the merchandise. I ended up buying an adorable rubber ducky. We took one last picture, and left the Capitol to go back to UT.
Kristen: In the gift shop there was a book called “The Beer Guide”…only in Texas would we sell beer handbooks in our state capital!
Thy: Overall, we really enjoyed the experience of advocating and attending a Lobby Day. If you ever get a chance, you should look into the available Lobby Days and sign up for one. Come on readers, let’s get political!!
And we took LOTS of pictures!
In the spirit of chanting, we made up our own! Join us as we sign out…
Give me a T!
Give me a K!
Team TK!
great post! keep up the good work!!
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