Up to 300,000 of our fellow Virginians do not have the medical coverage they need, nor can they afford to pay “out of pocket” the cost of such medical care for themselves and their families.
Primarily, these are working Virginians who fall into that gap between those making too much for government healthcare assistance and those not making enough to purchase medical insurance on their own or pay their medical bills as they go. Thus they find themselves in the frightening situation that one illness can destroy them and their families forever.
This untenable situation must not continue. Therefore, I call upon the members of our Virginia Senate to take action that will ensure that financially affordable healthcare is available to everyone in our Commonwealth by expanding Medicaid.
Few time within a person’s life is an individual presented with an opportunity to do something truly momentous for “the common good,” to take action or perform a duty that will so positively affect thousands of people. This is one of those times.
Making affordable and accessible healthcare available to everyone in Virginia by expanding Medicaid is the right thing to do, and this is the right time to do it.
Sharma D. Lewis
Resident Bishop, Richmond Area
The United Methodist Church