YOUR ACTION NEEDED ON HEALTH REFORM
From APHA….Tell Your Senator to Support Affordable Health Reform!

The Senate Finance Committee is currently considering the America’s Healthy Future Act, legislation to overhaul the nation’s health system. While the bill makes a number of improvements to the current system, there are serious concerns with a number of issues related to affordability including the failure to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap for prescription drug coverage and the excessive costs that low and moderate-income individuals and families would face associated with paying health insurance premiums. In addition, the proposal fails to include a “public option” for health insurance coverage to compete with private insurance plans in an effort to bring down costs.

Please use this APHA Action Alert to send a letter to your Senator who sits on the Senate Finance Committee and ask him/her to address these issues during the Committee’s consideration this week.

Though MPHA will be sending a letter to Senators’ Collins and Snowe about this issue, we still need your individual action on this – please click on the Action Alert to e-mail your letter today!

STATE-WIDE ACTION NEWS – MPHA TAKES A STAND
MPHA’s policy committee has decided to formally oppose three referendum questions on the November ballot. We are creating documents detailing the public health evidence-based reasons for the following positions and will post those to our website as soon as they are completed.

• Q1 Marriage Equality Repeal: MPHA has taken a formal position against the repeal of the marriage equality act. For more information see http://protectmaineequality.org/clip.cfm?id=436   
• Q2 Maine Auto Excise tax repeal. MPHA is taking a formal stance in opposition of this measure. For more information see http://www.mainecandobetter.org/  
• Q4 Tabor II: MPHA is officially against this ballot initiative. See http://www.votenoontabor.org/  for more information.
• We are in the midst of considering a stance on Q 5: De-criminalize marijuana used medically. Please let us know if you have input on this measure.

Questions or input on policy issues? E-mail your MPHA Policy Committee Chair today and provide comments or join the committee!