NATIONAL HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS COUNCIL
LETTER FROM THE POLICY DIRECTOR
SEPTEMBER 2013

October 1 Starts a Process to Prevent & End Homelessness

 

The October 1 start of open enrollment tells a tale of two Americas. For half of us, the day brings our clients new access to health insurance. For the other half, it will be much like any other day (though targeted enrollment of higher income people may still occur).

 

For the homeless services community, the disparity is even more pronounced because people experiencing homelessness have the most to gain from health insurance, yet only half the states have chosen to expand Medicaid to very poor adults. Your advocacy is critical to Medicaid expansion in the remaining states, and to effective Affordable Care Act implementation everywhere. The National HCH Council issued a press release today that highlights the potential we have to gain through the ACA.

 

As we know, health reform is key to preventing and ending homelessness:

 

Preventing homelessness: New protections against private insurance industry abuses and improved access to subsidized insurance in the marketplace will mean that fewer people will go bankrupt over medical bills. This will diminish the slide into poverty and homelessness that is all-too-familiar to homeless service providers.

 

Ending homelessness: Medicaid facilitates access to a wider range of services than HCH projects can provide in outpatient, primary care settings. When we can more readily stabilize our clients' health through specialty care, residential treatment, needed surgeries and other procedures, we will all be stronger to work on housing and other critical issues. When HCH clients are enrolled in Medicaid, we can work on Medicaid payment for important services in Medical Respite Care and Permanent Supportive Housing.

 

October 1 won't be perfect. Systems might not work right, questions will still be unanswered, and there will be some confusion, particularly for those remaining ineligible. But we are used to imperfect systems and figuring out solutions while still providing services to those in need. Over time, the ACA systems and processes will get better. While I've spoken of great possibilities, let's also manage our expectations and work with our state partners to iron out the wrinkles.

 

Finally, we have no illusions that the ACA is the solution, but it's a step in the right direction. While we are working to ensure the current law works well, the National HCH Council remains committed to realizing a single payer health care system in America, one that brings everyone in and leaves no one out. Let's keep that conversation going.

 

Yours in good policy health,

Barbara DiPietro, PhD | Policy Director
(443) 703-1346 | www.nhchc.org [email protected]

P.S. Please support our work by becoming a member or by donating to the National HCH Council.
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HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING ARE HUMAN RIGHTS