Stay informed about health care issues that affect you, and the policy decisions being made statewide.
Check out 2026’s priority legislation in the Kentucky Voices for Health Justice Bill Tracker & our General Assembly Accessibility Guide! These bills promote racial equity and would reduce health disparities.
We are excited to announce that registration is now open for Kentucky Voices for Health’s 2025 Annual Meeting, happening on December 9th at the Hyatt Regency Lexington! Join stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to explore the shifting healthcare landscape as we prepare for major changes to health coverage and safety-net funding in 2026. Sessions will touch on the impact of recent state and federal legislation, how providers and communities are preparing for changes, and opportunities for advocacy as we prepare for the 2026 General Assembly. Click the image to view a full agenda with session descriptions and speakers. Who should attend? Health advocates, consumers, community leaders, policymakers, public employees, nonprofit organization staff, frontline service providers, outreach workers, educators, researchers, faith leaders, and others who serve their communities.Special pricing on tickets for kynectors, CHWs, and students. CEUs will be available for CCHWs, Social Workers, and professionals who can self-report hours. Register now! *Don’t forget! KVH coalition members receive a 50%
Virtual Programs (all in EST) Monday 1/27 2pm-3:30pm Monday 2/10 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum Monday 3/3 2pm-3:30pm Tuesday 5/20 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum Tuesday 6/17 10am-11:30am Tuesday 8/19 10am-11:30am CHFS Forum Tuesday 9/16 2pm-3:30pm Tuesday 10/21 10am-11:30am Tuesday 11/18 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum *new link* Monday 12/15 11am-1pm Virtual Roadshow In-Person Roadshows (1pm-4pm local time zone) Tuesday 4/15 Louisville – South Central Regional Library Tuesday 5/6 Somerset – Pulaski County Library Tuesday 6/3 Morehead – Morehead Conference Center Tuesday 7/8 Henderson – Henderson County Extension Office Tuesday 8/5 Hopkinsville- Christian County Extension Office Tuesday 9/2 Hazard – Perry County Library Inspiration Station Tuesday 10/7 Covington – Kenton County Library Tuesday 11/4 Richmond – Madison County Public Library QUESTIONS? For questions about continuing education or general registration, please email alex@kyvoicesforhealth.org. Interested in supporting ThriveKY with a 2025 sponsorship? Learn more HERE or email kelly@kyvoicesforhealth.org for more information!
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
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
THIS SESSION WILL COVER: WHERE WILL WE BE IN 2024? (registration linked below) *Each event will be held 1pm – 4pm local time. We recommend arriving 10 minutes early if you are able! May 14th: Frankfort – DPH / CHFS Building June 18th: Pikeville – Lee Avenue Public Library July 16th: Williamsburg – Whitley County Extension Office August 13th: Murray – Calloway County Extension Office September 10th: Glasgow – WKU’s Glasgow Campus October 8th: Covington – Kenton County Government Center November 19th: Louisville – South Central Regional Library December 16th (1:30-3:30pm EST) Virtual Roadshow WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Community health workers Social workers Community leaders Public employees Nonprofit organizations Frontline service providers Outreach workers Educators Faith leaders Counselors Librarians Those who serve their community This is a free continuing education and/or professional development credit opportunity! During this community education series, we will be continuing education providers for Certified Community Health Workers and Licensed Social Workers. We will be coordinating for self-reporting
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
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
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
More Kentuckians qualify for health plan savings! Now more Kentucky families qualify for financial help to lower the cose of kynect health coverage — including those who couldn’t get savings in the past. Previously, eligibility for marketplace health insurance savings was calculated based on the affordability of an individual’s coverage, leaving out dependents and spouses — this was called the “family glitch.” New rules take into account the cost of covering family members as well. Many employees in Kentucky, including public employees such as teachers and other state workers, are now eligible to save on marketplace coverage for themselves AND their family. FAMILY GLITCH FIX EXPLAINER
