Watch a video of 1199SEIU caregivers testifying before the Florida Legislature. Their testimony starts at 3:50.
Four Central Florida 1199SEIU delegates, Vera Nelson, Deloris Gumbs, Alma Smith and Demaris Rivera-Morales, traveled to Tallahassee to participate in a Senate Committee meeting on the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
Vera Nelson, a CNA at Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center in Orlando, testified before the Senate Committee and urged them to expand Medicaid so hardworking Floridians could have access to quality healthcare. Medicaid expansion is an important part of the Affordable Care Act, which would increase access to healthcare for up to 1.2 million Floridians who cannot afford health insurance, including many 1199SEIU Florida members. If Florida wants to expand Medicaid, it needs to be passed by the Florida Legislature by the end of 2013 legislative session in Tallahassee and signed into law by Governor Rick Scott.
Nelson said, “I have experienced having health insurance to no health coverage. Right now, I can’t afford my employer’s health insurance so my son and I are uninsured. With coverage, tests get run if you’re sick. If you don’t have insurance, they go by whatever your symptoms are and they don’t give tests,” she explained. “I don’t think it’s fair to not give proper care to someone because they can’t afford it. That’s why we need expand Medicaid.”
Vera Nelson was one of many speakers from across the state, including social workers, pastors and community leaders, who urged the Committee to accept the funding made available by the federal government through Obamacare.
“We shouldn’t be put in a position to beg them to accept Medicaid funding that’s already there,” Nelson said. “It was hard to do it, but I did it for all of us – the ones who can’t afford their company’s health insurance and for the ones who can’t work, too. I think I helped make a difference because some of the Senators didn’t even realize how expensive many of our health insurance plans are.”
Expanding Medicaid is essential to providing Florida families with the healthcare they need, and we must do everything we can to let state lawmakers and families know that approving Medicaid expansion will save lives, create jobs and strengthen Florida’s economy.
We must do everything we can to let state lawmakers and families know that approving Medicaid expansion will save lives, create jobs and strengthen Florida’s economy.
Click here to join our "Healthier Florida Now!" campaign to expand Medicaid to an additional 1.2 million Floridians.
View a photo slideshow here:
Four Central Florida 1199SEIU delegates, Vera Nelson, Deloris Gumbs, Alma Smith and Demaris Rivera-Morales, traveled to Tallahassee to participate in a Senate Committee meeting on the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
Vera Nelson, a CNA at Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center in Orlando, testified before the Senate Committee and urged them to expand Medicaid so hardworking Floridians could have access to quality healthcare. Medicaid expansion is an important part of the Affordable Care Act, which would increase access to healthcare for up to 1.2 million Floridians who cannot afford health insurance, including many 1199SEIU Florida members. If Florida wants to expand Medicaid, it needs to be passed by the Florida Legislature by the end of 2013 legislative session in Tallahassee and signed into law by Governor Rick Scott.
Nelson said, “I have experienced having health insurance to no health coverage. Right now, I can’t afford my employer’s health insurance so my son and I are uninsured. With coverage, tests get run if you’re sick. If you don’t have insurance, they go by whatever your symptoms are and they don’t give tests,” she explained. “I don’t think it’s fair to not give proper care to someone because they can’t afford it. That’s why we need expand Medicaid.”
Vera Nelson was one of many speakers from across the state, including social workers, pastors and community leaders, who urged the Committee to accept the funding made available by the federal government through Obamacare.
“We shouldn’t be put in a position to beg them to accept Medicaid funding that’s already there,” Nelson said. “It was hard to do it, but I did it for all of us – the ones who can’t afford their company’s health insurance and for the ones who can’t work, too. I think I helped make a difference because some of the Senators didn’t even realize how expensive many of our health insurance plans are.”
Expanding Medicaid is essential to providing Florida families with the healthcare they need, and we must do everything we can to let state lawmakers and families know that approving Medicaid expansion will save lives, create jobs and strengthen Florida’s economy.
We must do everything we can to let state lawmakers and families know that approving Medicaid expansion will save lives, create jobs and strengthen Florida’s economy.
Click here to join our "Healthier Florida Now!" campaign to expand Medicaid to an additional 1.2 million Floridians.
View a photo slideshow here:
