Blog Archives - Kentucky Voices for Health

Celebrating Second Chance Month

The work of building a better reentry system in Kentucky is not something any one organization can do alone. Kentucky Voices for Health leads the Healthy Reentry Coalition, a growing network of directly impacted advocates, services providers, and community members committed to creating a healthier, more just path home for all incarcerated Kentuckians. Our goal as a coalition is to provide support through education and awareness of policies and share resources and events among members. This work has traditionally focused on adult reentry, but we are working to bring in more voices from across the Commonwealth, particularly those either directly or indirectly impacted by the juvenile justice system. The coalition meets every third Thursday of the month. Our next meeting is April 16th, and we would love to have you there. If you are interested in joining or learning more, reach out directly to Brittany Elam at brittany@kyvoicesforhealth.org. THE SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES After a harsh winter, April is a month

April 15, 2026

Kentucky Voices for Health 2022 Annual Meeting sponsors

Medical Debt Erased for 1,257 Kentuckians, Now Let’s Improve Patient Protections

As healthcare costs continue to rise, so does anxiety about being able to afford medical treatment. Even those with good insurance can find themselves stuck with a surprise medical bill or mounting out-of-pocket expenses. The reality is that many Kentucky families are just one medical emergency away from a financial crisis. The specter of medical debt adds massive uncertainty and stress to what are already some of the most uncertain and stressful moments in our lives. No one chooses to get sick or hurt, and no one chooses to rack up the significant expenses it can take to get well. Even with the right coverage, prices are rarely predictable… leaving people already in pain and distress to figure out what they owe (and how to pay for it) after-the-fact. Kentucky ranks tenth in the nation for residents with medical debt. Kentucky ranks tenth in the nation for residents with medical debt. It’s the single most common cause of personal bankruptcy, even as it differs greatly from other forms of debt. These

July 24, 2024

Moving the Needle Towards Improved Health Outcomes — A 2024 Legislative Recap

In even-year legislative sessions, the Kentucky General Assembly must adjourn Sine Die before midnight on April 15th. The dust has settled a bit in Frankfort and we turn our attention to the 2024 Interim, including Attorney General Russell Coleman’s designation of July 15, 2024 as the effective date for all legislation that did not have another date ascribed in statute or that didn’t have an emergency clause attached. This legislative recap focuses on healthcare and other policies that impact all Kentuckians and Kentucky communities having their basic, health-related social needs met. This is not a comprehensive highlight reel of ALL legislative activity this year. And yet, buckle up, dear reader. This is one of the beefier Kentucky General Assembly recaps to date. IMPROVING AND SAVING THE LIVES OF KENTUCKY’S PREGNANT PEOPLE, MOMS, & BABIES This year, the “Momnibus” bill – originally filed as HB10 by Rep. Kim Moser, but what ultimately passed within SB74 led by Sen. Shelly Funke-Frommeyer– made

July 15, 2024

Some Investments Pay for Themselves: Medicaid & Child Care Help All Kentuckians Thrive

It’s that time of every-other-year again: Kentucky’s General Assembly is working on the state’s budget. Advocates, policy analysts, lobbyists and constituents will fill the halls of Frankfort until mid-April, working to see their priorities get funded. What’s different this year is that there’s more than enough to go around – an unprecedented $3.7 billion – to fund policies and programs that help all Kentuckians thrive. After two decades of recession, inflation, economic hit after economic hit – it’s a refreshing reality. We deserve to see this surplus used wisely, not set aside. It’s time for Kentucky to invest in itself. From clean drinking water to better roads, addressing substance use and investing in education, affordable housing and disaster recovery, there are many priorities in need of investment to help ensure a healthier, more vibrant future for Kentucky. Every family and local economy in KY benefits from a strong healthcare safety-net and child care industry. We deserve to see this surplus

February 6, 2024

Kentuckians Enrolled in Medicaid or Shopping for Health Plans Beware!

Scammers Want Your Money & Your Identity. Here’s What You Need to Know. One in three Kentuckians are going through the Medicaid renewals process for the first time since they were paused in 2020. Thousands are going to be finding themselves in a unique position of needing to enroll in healthcare outside of the usual Marketplace Open Enrollment dates. Thousands more will be required to provide personal information or documentation in order to verify Medicaid eligibility. Whether you use Medicaid for your healthcare or are shopping for a new health plan: PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION! FIRST PRIORITY: PROTECT YOUR MONEY, IDENTITY & DIGNITY Since humans invented money, scammers have found a calling, and they are savvy – as rapidly as technology can advance in our modern world, so do their tactics. Many Medicaid members are either new to the renewal process or simply unfamiliar with the paperwork requirements and scammers are doing what scammers do best. They are capitalizing on the opportunity

November 2, 2023

OP-ED: HB1 is Bad for Kentucky’s Health

When is a tax cut NOT a tax cut? When a permanent reduction in state revenue is based on a temporary surplus in the state budget. The result is an unsustainable situation – a tax cut that ends up raising taxes elsewhere and harms our ability to fund the vital programs that keep Kentuckians healthy and thriving. Right now state budgets across the country are full as a result of emergency pandemic programs and stimulus packages like the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). But these measures are temporary, with most expiring in 2023. Instead of using this money to build a commonwealth where everyone can live a healthy life and contribute to the health of their communities, some lawmakers have decided to squander the opportunity. House Bill 8, passed last year, bases permanent income tax cuts on this temporary money…. Now, House Bill 1 puts into motion phase two of this plan to turn federal relief dollars into big tax

January 23, 2023

Inflation Reduction Act: What It Could Mean for Healthcare

The United States Senate made major headlines this week with the passage of H.R.5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This broad-ranging bill features reconfigured versions of many of the Biden administration’s key promises and policy goals (formerly under the umbrella of “Build Back Better”). Approved by the Senate with a simple (and narrow) 51-vote majority, the bill is first and foremost a symbol of the compromise it took to get it done. No Republicans voted for the bill, and few, if any, Democrats would be able to say they are entirely happy with it. But, that is often the nature of policy-making, with wins and losses coming in equal measure. Currently the bill has moved back to the U.S. House of Representatives, where all signs point to its passage on Friday. Once President Biden signs it into law, the federal government will begin making one of its largest investments on climate, and one of the biggest steps towards affordable

August 11, 2022

Spotlight on Eastern Kentucky Flood Healthcare Relief & Resources

Meeting Eastern Kentucky Healthcare NeedsThe devastation of last week’s floods in Eastern Kentucky is an ongoing, tragic situation. Our beloved 606 is hurting, but for #TeamKentucky, we are once again broadcasting to the entire country what we do best — uniting as a single #KentuckyStrong family, showing up for our fellow neighbor, and making sure every single loved one and stranger alike is taken care of as thousands are forced to rebuild from nothing. The loss of life and injuries so many have sustained is overwhelming, and our hearts remain with every single family facing the trauma and heartache of these painful losses. To our colleagues, partners, and friends — we stand with you in the difficult weeks and months ahead. If you need assistance not listed or described below, please visit the new Flood Resources landing page on Governor Beshear’s official website for more information. Do you need or do you know someone in flood-impacted areas that needs healthcare

August 1, 2022

Health Justice & Health Injustice: A 2022 Legislative Recap

Legislative sessions held during even years in Kentucky always last a little longer, and are certainly longer than their misleading label of “60-days”.To be fair, impacting or creating new law and policy, while balancing an entire state’s biennial budget is not a simple feat, so “60-days” seems meager considering the amount of work that needs to be done to manage a state and support its people. Much of the attention placed on the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly’s efforts this year encompassed limiting or removing access to safety net programs supporting Kentuckians’ basic needs like healthcare, education, the ability to afford groceries, and overall access to opportunity and wealth. However, there were tremendous benchmarks achieved, some stemming from years of work by community and policy advocacy partners, and overall, this was another big year for mental health policy in the Commonwealth. The majority of legislation passed during the 2022 Regular Session went into effect on July 14th, unless otherwise determined by

July 22, 2022

Improving Postpartum Care for Healthy Moms & Babies

The health of postpartum mothers is an important issue for Kentuckians. In 2018, the latest year with available data, the national maternal mortality rate was 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births; Comparatively, Kentucky’s maternal mortality rate was 40.8 per 100,000. The mortality rate for Black Kentuckians is even higher, at 42.1 maternal deaths, versus 17.2 maternal deaths for White Kentuckians. In an effort to address this issue, HB174** extends the Medicaid benefits for postpartum mothers, whose current coverage ends at sixty days, to twelve months after the birth of their child. Kentucky Voices for Health has vocally advocated for this legislation as a measure that would help to improve the health of postpartum mothers. 13.9% of Kentucky’s postpartum mothers experience Postpartum Depression (PPD). The national rate is 13.4%. Further, the United Health Foundation reports that 13.9% of Kentucky’s postpartum mothers experience Postpartum Depression (PPD). The national rate is 13.4%. We know that the mental and physical health of mothers has

April 13, 2022

Blog

Search by Category

Search by Date