Rural Counts Action Alert:
VITAL INFO ON TODAY'S HEALTH CARE VOTE

Good afternoon, Rural Counts Advocates: 

The US House of Representatives is poised to take a vote this evening on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

The process is moving very quickly, so i n this Action Alert we wanted to share important resources to help you understand exactly what is in the AHCA and how it impacts rural communities and the state of North Carolina as a whole. We are also tracking support for the bill among the NC Congressional delegation and have noted where each member stands on the bill in its current form.

Rural health is one of the pillars of our Rural Counts strategies, and we know millions of  North Carolinians will be affected by any change in health policy. Though the Center has not taken a formal position on this legislation, we will do our best to keep you informed about what has been proposed and what people are saying about it.


John Coggin
Director of Advocacy

WHAT IS IN THE BILL

Below are three pieces that explain the proposed legislation and analyze it from a rural and North Carolina perspective. We encourage you to read these documents, assess the impact of the bill on your community, and contact your representatives as you see fit to express your thoughts on how to make our health care system work better for rural North Carolina.
RURAL CENTER OVERVIEW

Debby Bryant, our federal affairs consultant, has summarized the pending base bill replacing the Affordable Care Act.

Click here to read her summary of the bill as it stood this morning.

THE RURAL PERSPECTIVE

The National Rural Health Association, t he leading voice for rural health care in the nation has been  calling for improvements  to the Affordable Care Act. Yesterday, NRHA came out in opposition to the current bill under consideration in the House of Representatives. 

Click here to read their take on the pros and cons of the bill.
THE NORTH CAROLINA PERSPECTIVE

What impact would the American Health Care Act have on North Carolina? 

Click here  for links provided by the NC Medical Society to analyses of the state-level effects from both the Fiscal Research Division of the General Assembly and the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

WHERE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE STANDS
Changes are being made to the bill and will continue to be made until a vote is taken this evening. Specific changes may sway the vote of any particular legislator. At the moment, the following is our analysis of where each member in the North Carolina delegation stands.


Yes (or Leaning Yes)
George Holding (NC-2)
Virginia Fox (NC-5)
Mark Walker (NC-6)
David Rouzer (NC-7)
Richard Hudson (NC-8)
Robert Pittenger (NC-9)
Patrick McHenry (NC-10)

No (or Leaning No)
G.K. Butterfield (NC-1)
Walter Jones (NC-3)
David Price (NC-4)
Mark Meadows (NC-11)
Alma Adams (NC-12)
Ted Budd (NC-13)



GET INVOLVED
RURAL DAY IS MAY 9--REGISTER NOW!
Be a part of a statewide celebration of rural NC

Registration is now open for the first-ever statewide rural day. Have you been wanting to speak up for your community, but not sure how? Join other rural champions from across the state in a celebration of the values and assets of our rural communities, and talk with leaders about how we can do even more for rural North Carolina.


JOHN COGGIN
Director of Advocacy
The Rural Center
919-250-4314
jcoggin@ncruralcenter.org
@JohnCoggin