Community Benefit & Economic Stability Project

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Apr 28, 2022

Medical Debt Implications in Native American Communities

The true impact of medical debt in Native American communities is still unclear. The quality of data collected may be limited due to the lack of administrative capacity. [ Blog ]

Apr 26, 2022

A CFPB Report Sounds the Alarm on the Volume and Inequities of Medical Debt

The agency reported an astonishing $88 Billion of medical debt on consumer credit records as of June 2021. This debt disproportionately affects people with low incomes, Black and Hispanic people, veterans, and younger and older adults. [ Blog ]

Apr 11, 2022

Biden Administration’s Actions on Medical Debt a Critical Step to Ensure the Success of Families

Today, the Biden administration issued new guidance to alleviate the burden that medical debt plays on the lives of one in three people. [ Press Release ]

Apr 05, 2022

Biden Administration’s Closing of the “Family Glitch” Would Make Health Coverage Affordable and Accessible to Millions

The elimination of the “family glitch” would open the door to more affordable coverage for five million people, more than half of whom are children. [ Press Release ]

Jan 31, 2022

Medical debt buries some at UPMC | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mark Rukavina, medical debt expert at Community Catalyst, talked to Post-Gazette about the multiple stories he has heard of health care workers owing money to the organizations that employ them. [ News Clip ]

Jan 13, 2022

How to Fortify Patient Protections Surrounding Medical Debt: Lessons from the States

Community Catalyst is partnering with state and community advocates from five states to understand the key strategies of these successful advocacy campaigns to end medical debt. [ Blog ]

Dec 20, 2021

Collecting Community Stories of Medical Debt in Southwest Georgia

As of 2019, Georgia had the third-highest percentage of uninsured people at 13.4 percent. As a result, medical debt has become a significant issue for the state and it often leads to difficult financial decisions, such as how to pay rent or put food on... [ Blog ]

Sep 30, 2021

Centering Racial Justice in Hospital Community Benefit Investment Through Authentic Community Engagement Strategies

Valuable lessons on what it means to build authentic community-hospital partnerships and support strong community engagement. [ Blog ]

Sep 01, 2021

Hospitals and Health Systems Receiving Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds Must Be Accountable to Their Communities

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has made approximately $300 billion in funding available to health care providers. The money was intended to help providers pay for costs related to treating COVID patients, as well as making up for re... [ Blog ]

Aug 24, 2021

As House Nears Passage of Budget Resolution, Real Work of Improving Nation’s Health and Health Equity Set to Begin

The U.S. House of Representatives appears set to vote on a $3.5 trillion budget resolution. The resolution signals support for a number of critical health policies. [ Press Release ]

Aug 16, 2021

New Hospital Rankings Unveil Deficits in Direct Contributions to Communities

A new report examines hospitals by looking at the use of tests and procedures that offer little to no clinical benefit, services offered to underserved communities of color, and their contributions to community benefit. [ Blog ]

Aug 06, 2021

St. Dominic Knew Patients Couldn't Afford Care. It Sued Them Anyway. | Mississippi Center For Investigative Reporting

Mark Rukavina, director of our Community Benefit & Economic Stability Project, is quoted in this article by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting on the harmful impacts of aggressive medical billing collection policies on low-income earners. [ News Clip ]

Colorado

Colorado Center on Law and Policy

Project Description: Colorado Center on Law and Policy develop a case study highlighting their successful efforts to engage consumers and policymakers in process of establishing protections for consumers from medical debt. The case study will be used as a model to encourage similar protections throughout the country.

Colorado Center on Law and Policy stands with diverse communities across Colorado in the fight against poverty through research, legislation and legal advocacy.

Colorado Center on Law and Policy (facebook.com)

CCLPnews (@CCLPnews) / Twitter

Georgia

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Project Description: Georgia Watch will leverage the policy expertise and relationships Georgians for a Healthy Future has in the region, as well as the local knowledge and community trust that SOWEGA Rising has as a grassroots, black-led organization based in Southwest Georgia. The partnership will educate Georgians about their rights and work with community groups and local health care providers to implement community-specific polices to address local needs around me dical billing and debt.

Georgia Watch

Georgia Watch is a statewide non-profit leading consumer advocacy. They advocate for policies that reduce the energy burden of struggling families, expand access to quality, affordable health care, open doors to the financial mainstream, and improve access to the civil justice system.

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaWatch

Georgia Watch (@georgiawatch) / Twitter

SOWEGA Rising

SOWEGA Rising is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Southwest Georgia. The goal is to facilitate Southwest Georgia’s rise from the bottom of the state to the top of the list of quality of life metrics by empowering individuals and revitalizing communities through rural revitalization, community organizing, education, coalition-building and advocacy in the areas of human and civil rights and social justice, and by increasing citizen engagement in the democratic processes of our state.

Sowega Rising | Facebook

Georgians for a Healthy Future

Georgians for a Healthy Future's mission is to build and mobilize a unified voice, vision, and leadership to achieve a healthy future for all Georgians. They provide a strong voice for Georgia consumers and communities on the health care issues and decisions that impact their lives.

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyFutureGA

https://www.twitter.com/healthyfuturega

https://www.linkedin.com/company/georgians-for-a-healthy-future

New Mexico

Project Description: New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty will work with Casa de Salud and Forward Together to strengthen consumer advocacy in New Mexico to reduce medical debt by addressing unfair billings and collections practices in hospitals statewide. The partnership will engage families in low-income communities to work with state policymakers and hospitals to maximize public funding and strengthen financial assistance programs.

New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty

The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty is dedicated to advancing economic and social justice through education, advocacy and litigation. We work with low-income New Mexicans to improve living conditions, increase opportunities and protect the rights of people living in poverty. Through Roadmaps to Health Community Grants, the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and its partners will help agricultural workers get the pay they are entitled to and ensure that the DWS is properly enforcing state labor laws.

New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty | Facebook

https://twitter.com/NMPovertyLaw

Justice, Access, Support and Solutions for Health (Casa de Salud)

Casa de Salud is a permanent project of Justice, Access, Support and Solutions for Health (JAZZ for Health), a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization. Casa de Salud is a non-profit community based integrative primary care serving primarily uninsured patients.

https://www.facebook.com/casadesaludnm/

https://twitter.com/CasadesaludNM

Forward Together

Forward Together unites communities to win rights, recognition and resources for all families.

They are a steering team partner in the New Mexico Together for Healthcare Campaign and Coalition where they work to influence state and local level policy in the steps towards quality, affordable healthcare for all in New Mexico. Their mission is to interweave traditional and conventional medicines to meet the physical and spiritual health needs of its patients in a welcoming, just, creative, and inclusive environment.

Strong Families New Mexico | Facebook

Forward Together (@FwdTogether) / Twitter

Illinois

Project Description: The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights will engage in partnership with Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, Mano a Mano, Enlace Chicago, and Legal Council for Health Justice to advance consumer-friendly hospital billing and collection policies and racial justice by advocating for changes in law, policy, and practice through developing a state-wide health education and advocacy campaign. The partnership will engage low-income immigrant communities to advocate for increased transparency and accountability on charity care, as well as advocacy for individual patients and with individual health systems in Cook and the collar counties around Chicago.

Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

ICIRR is a statewide non-profit dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrant and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society. ICIRR works in partnership with member organizations to build power and organize immigrant and refugee communities.

http://www.facebook.com/ICIRR

https://twitter.com/icirr

Mujeres Latinas en Acción

Mujeres Latinas en Acción is a bilingual/bicultural agency that empowers Latinas through social services and advocacy initiatives that promote non-violence, reproductive health and leadership development.

https://www.facebook.com/mujereslatinas/

https://twitter.com/Mujereslatinas

Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project

Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project is a social impact organization committed to community organizing for the rights of immigrants in Chicago’s southwest suburbs through education, civic engagement, and advocacy.

https://www.facebook.com/SSIPchicago/

https://twitter.com/SSIPchicago

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ssipchicago

Mano a Mano Family Resource Center

Mano a Mano offers a one-stop-shop for culturally competent health resources and services, educational classes and workshops, and immigration legal services for vulnerable communities. Their mission is to empower immigrants and their families to become full participants in their community.

https://www.facebook.com/manoamanofamilyresourcecenter

https://www.instagram.com/manoamanofamilyresourcecenter/

Enlace Chicago

Enlace Chicago convenes, organizes, and builds the capacity of the Little Village neighborhood stakeholders to confront inequities and barriers to economic and social access. Enlace Chicago believes in building power through collaboration and grassroots leadership, promotes livable communities with access and opportunity for all, and values social justice and systems change.

http://www.facebook.com/enlacechicago

http://www.twitter.com/enlacechicago

Legal Council for Health Justice

Legal Council for Health Justice uses the power of the law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing barriers due to illness or disability. They fight for affordable health coverage and prescriptions, safe and stable housing, a free and appropriate education, the nutritious food communities needs to stay healthy, and other resources influenced by social determinants of health.

https://www.facebook.com/legalcouncilforhealthjustice

https://twitter.com/thelegalcouncil

https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/231373/

New York

The Community Service Society of New York

Project Description: Community Service Society of New York will support efforts to expand their End Medical Debt Coalition and to develop a case study highlighting their successful efforts to engage consumers and policymakers in process of establishing protections for consumers from medical debt. The case study will be used as a model to encourage similar protections throughout the country

The Community Service Society of New York is an informed, independent, and unwavering voice for positive action on behalf of more than 3 million low-income New Yorkers. CSS draws on a 175-year history of excellence in addressing the root causes of economic disparity through research, advocacy, litigation, and innovative program models that strengthen and benefit all New Yorkers.

https://www.facebook.com/CSSNYorg

https://twitter.com/CSSNYorg

Comment Letter discussing ways to strengthen patient protections under the No Surprises Act.

Community Catalyst and U.S. PIRG sent letter to Secretary Becerra, Secretary Yellen, Secretary Walsh, and Administrator Brooks-LaSure discussing ways to strengthen patient protections under the No Surprises Act. [ Comment Letter ]

Community Catalyst comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission in response to RFI on enforcement of antitrust laws in hospital mergers

Community Catalyst urges the Federal Trade Commission to consider impact of hospital consolidation on medical debt, access to care, and continuity of care. [ Comment Letter ]

RESUMEN DE LOS DERECHOS DEL PACIENTE EN EL MARCO DE LA LEY SIN SORPRESAS (NSA) Y SUS CORRESPONDIENTES NORMAS FINALES PROVISIONALES

Consulte esta tabla que resume los derechos de los pacientes bajo la Ley No Sorpresas, que evitaría que los pacientes reciban una factura médica sorpresa de un proveedor que no está en su red de seguro médico. [ Resource ]

Summary of Patients' Rights Under The No Surprises Act and Its Related Final Rules

Check out this table which summarizes patients' rights under the No Surprises Act (NSA), which would prevent patients from receiving a surprise medical bill from a provider that is not in their health insurance network. [ Resource ]

The Advocate’s Resource: Community Power Leading the Charge to Improve Community Economic Stability

The goal of this Advocate’s Resource is to equip advocates with important background information, lessons and strategies from successful campaigns to pass state-level policies that help mitigate the harm caused by medical debt. [ Publication ]

Community Catalyst commenting on Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part II (CMS-9908-IFC)

Emphasizing the need to strengthen protections for uninsured patients through the NSA dispute resolution process. [ Comment Letter ]

Community Catalyst Comment Letter to HHS Secretary Becerra from State and Local Partners in Southern States

In this letter, our partners urge Secretary Becerra to take action to ensure that uninsured patients know about the availability of the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program. [ Comment Letter ]

Letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator on CMS-9909-IFC-Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part I

We offer comments on the above Interim Final Rule implementing the No Surprises Act to supplement other comments we have submitted: on June 30, 2021, in anticipation of federal rulemaking to implement the No Surprises Act. [ Comment Letter ]

The American Rescue Plan Act: Organizing Opportunities

This toolkit illustrates how advocates can leverage American Rescue Plan Act funds to spur transformative change and address the unique needs of communities. [ Publication ]

Principios para Mejorar la Estabilidad Económica Comunitaria Mediante Políticas Hospitalarias

Conoce los 5 principios que los hospitales deberían seguir para promover la estabilidad económica en las comunidades a las que sirven. [ Publication ]

Community Catalyst comment letter to HHS Secretary Becerra and CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure

Comment letter related to the implementation of the No Surprises Act, including the standard notice and consent documents, the model disclosure notice, the complaints processes, and their supporting documents. Submitted August 12, 2021 [ Comment Letter ]

Community Catalyst Letter to Secretaries Becerra, Yellen and Walsh on the No Surprises Act

Community Catalyst letter to Departments of Health & Human Services, Treasury, and Labor urging them to develop all solutions that aim to end surprise medical bills through a racial justice and health equity lens. [ Comment Letter ]

More Resources »

ALERT: Speak up NOW on the state of health care

Tomorrow night’s state of the union marks the first time President Biden will speak to Congress. Our job is to remind the Biden administration and policymakers that health care is central to infrastructure – and the time to be bold is now.

Advancing economic justice by developing community-driven hospital billing and collection policies