Stop Gambling With Our Lives! Call-In Blitz Aug 31
Last week we joined with groups across the state in a multi-day Phone Blitz to NC Senate Pres. Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, urging them to enact Medicaid Expansion now. Participating groups are again sponsoring chunks of time this week during which we will flood Berger’s and Moore’s offices with phone calls, demanding that they stop gambling with people’s lives.
Long-needed Medicaid Expansion was passed into law in March but has been held up by the legislature’s arbitrarily imposed contingency that it be tied to passing a budget. While they’re holding up the budget, dithering about adding casinos to Sen. Berger’s home district, thousands of North Carolinians are going without needed care. Healthcare delayed is healthcare denied.
For this week’s Phone Blitz, Indivisible AVL is sponsoring the Thursday, August 31, 4-5 pm calling time. In order to flood their offices with calls throughout the hour, we need 20 callers to dial at specific times, so please sign up here in advance.
How To Call
If you can call during the Indivisible AVL time on Thursday, please sign up here. We need 20 callers to claim a specific 3-minute slot!
If you aren’t able to take part during that time, or if you’d simply rather call on your own, please do! They need to hear from as many North Carolinians as possible.
–> NC Senate Pres. Phil Berger: (919) 733-5708
–> NC House Speaker Tim Moore: (919) 733-3451
Calling Instructions
- Thank the assistant who answers the phone for taking your call.
- Identify yourself by name, and state you are a North Carolina resident who lives in [YOUR TOWN OR COUNTY].
- Be sure to leave a voice message if no one answers the phone.
Suggested Phone Script
This is just a suggestion. Make it your own!
“I am calling to express my deep anger and disappointment that lawmakers have unnecessarily tied Medicaid Expansion to the state budget. With the continued delays in passing a budget, in part due to disagreements on whether to massively expand casinos and video slot machines across N.C., 600,000 North Carolinians will not be able to enroll in life saving health coverage on October 1st.
“This is especially important since 9,000 of our friends and neighbors—who would be eligible to keep their Medicaid if we had expanded—are actually losing coverage each month during the redetermination process.
“I join others across the state in urging you to stop gambling with our lives and separate Medicaid Expansion from the budget or get back to Raleigh and pass a budget that addresses the needs of the people before September 1st. This would allow the NC Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with their plan to begin enrollment on October 1st.
“Thank you again for taking the time to listen to and log my concerns. I truly appreciate it.”
It’s time for the state legislature to stop gambling with our lives. Enact Medicaid Expansion NOW!