Virginia’s Medicaid Expansion Keeps The Momentum Going
Millions of Virginians celebrated earlier this year when the state decided to expand Medicaid to provide healthcare to some 400,000 low-income residents who desperately need it. This was an amazing achievement, bringing to fruition the promise of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but our success doesn’t mean the health care fight is over. We need to preserve what we’ve attained and move forward.
An email from Belmont Bay resident Mick Long:
“…many contracted delivery drivers (including Uber & Lyft) race through our community at much higher speeds than the 25 mph posted. Many seem to be relying on outdated GPS systems and ignore the physical posted signage, especially our one-way thoroughfares.
Labor Day this past Monday was a fitting reminder for us to work harder to not only honor working people in the United States and Virginia but to strengthen our economy and supports for employees. Virginia has a long way to go.
Last week Oxfam America released a study that found that Virginia ranked #51 out of 51 as the best state to be an employee – yes, dead last. This included rankings of #48 in worker protections, #49 in the right to organize, and #51 in wage policies. This is troubling news.
The Northern Virginia Veterans Association (NOVAVETS) is an organization with a sole purpose of supporting veterans, transitioning military members and their families throughout the Northern Virginia region. Located in Manassas, VA, the association is a one-stop hands-on non-profit that provides that support at no-cost to the veteran or family member. Those in need are connected to local community resources that best meet their requirements. Because of the vast need for services and support, NOVAVETS focuses its efforts on the most vulnerable of veterans and those with extraordinary needs.
Founded in 2015, by Retired Major Angela McConnell (PhD), who is also an expert in health services, NOVAVETS is unique in veterans support by guiding the client through the vast and often confusing network of available resources until the problem or issue is resolved. Relying on a cadre of support specialists, which include military retirees and health care experts, NOVAVETS utilizes pre-screened and verified service and support partner companies and entities to fill the veteran’s need. Since its founding, NOVAVETS has assisted hundreds of veterans and family members, ranging from veterans needing mental and other health services, to families facing immediate eviction, to obtaining transportation to a veteran’s doctor appointment, to home and yard care help, to hospice care assistance, and to meeting the recreational needs of the severely injured. Despite the overwhelming successes achieved in coordinating care and assistance to the veterans, the demand continues to grow. Relying exclusively on volunteers to fill its ranks of supporting the needs of the association, NOVAVETS is especially in need of executives to oversee and coordinate the organization’s operations. These positions are ideally suited to retired military members, military spouses, or retired professionals. Compensation is knowing that one made a difference in a hero’s life. Contact NOVAVETS at 703-659-0788 or www.novavets.org.
As a U.S. Air Force veteran, I attended an event for vets hosted at VFW Post 1503 in Dale City. The Town Hall was on Wednesday, July 25, 2018.
I didn’t know this event for Vets was actually for Democrats only. I say this because Prince William County senators Richard Black and Richard Stuart, and Tim Delegate Hugo (all three veterans of considerable military stature) weren’t at the Town Hall.
Last year, more than three Virginians died, on average, to an opioid overdose every day.
While past drug epidemics have tended to hurt certain socio-economic groups more strongly than others, the opioid epidemic is devastating individuals from every race, gender, and economic background.
