For the past 6 months, UHCAN Ohio has been working to organize consumers, advocates, and organizations to oppose the #NotHealthy4Ohio waiver. As a result of this work, approximately 100 advocates, activists, and other organizations filled the hearing room at the Ohio Department of Medicaid in Columbus to provide comments –all opposing – on the Healthy Ohio/#NotHealthy4Ohio Waiver. Of the 12 people who gave testimony, all of the 6 consumers that testified came in response to UHCAN Ohio’s call to action. All 12 people spoke out against the waiver. Click here to watch their testimony.

At the Cincinnati hearing, around 60 advocates attended. Of the 15 people who gave testimony, all of the 9 consumers that testified came in response to UHCAN Ohio’s call to action. Click here to watch their testimony.

On May 2nd, we launched a successful Thunderclap campaign telling Ohio Medicaid that forcing low-income Ohioans to pay for health coverage is #NotHealthy4Ohio. Many colleagues and consumers participated in the online action which reached over 97,000 people online.

We continue to organize people to write comments to Ohio Department of Medicaid before the May 16th deadline. If you have not already submitted comments, you still have time to do so. The open comment period ends on May 16, 2016. Please send the Ohio Department of Medicaid comments on the #NotHealthy4Ohio waiver and copy UHCAN Ohio at info@uhcanohio.org. We will use the comments you send to Medicaid to convince CMS to deny the waiver request.

For examples of comments, to share how you have benefitted from Medicaid coverage, and more, visit our resource center at www.uhcanohio.org/healthyohiomedicaidwaiver.