Thread by @ASlavitt

One year ago with the help of many of you, and the support of thousands, we launched @USofCare to finally catch the US up to the rest of the world to get everyone health care.

Today we offer our annual report “Toward a Healthy Future.”

unitedstatesofcare.org/wp-content/upl…

It’s been an amazing year.

We defined our goal this way:
-everyone in the country should have a regular source of care. -And no one should ever have to choose between a medical expense & any other expense

We travelled the country to understand how best to help accomplish this.

One principal has grounded our work the entire first year. One of our Founders Council, @ElenaHung202 said it best.

*principle! (Credit goes to a saavy @politico reporter)

So what are people telling us?

Principally that they’re not sure they can afford to get sick. And their scared that whatever they have could get taken away.

And their political party doesn’t matter. Their family does.

More:
-People feel disconnected. The ER is not the right place to get care.
-High deductibles may cover people but they don’t help people care for their families
-Rx drug costs and surprise bills & expenses are evidence health care doesn’t work

Solving these problems should not be considered “great” things to have. They are not problems in most other countries.

They are foundational. Only with the ability to care for ourselves & our families can we focus on a fulfilling life.

So what has @USofCare been doing?

For one, getting out to states and helping get new policies and new models passed. Representing patients & families. Bringing expertise. Providing technical support. A lot of the detail work necessary to make big things happen.

What else? Putting together resources for policy makers to make it easy for ideas to turn quickly into action.

Yesterday, @USofCare launched its first PLAYBOOK on how to help states who want to evaluate, build and pass an option for state residents to buy into Medicaid.

medicaidbuyin.com/playbook

Over the last year we’ve had the honor of:

-Working to help states expand Medicaid
-Working in New Mexico with local partners to assist w Medicaid buy in
-Assisted a state in covering trauma, food, housing & transport
-Beginning work on universal mental health

.@USofCare’s hope is that this work will be part of the building blocks so that some time in the 2020s, we can put in place lasting solutions for everyone.

There will be many big ideas and small ideas on how to fix health care. @USofCare doesn’t intend to be a substitute but rather to assist those ideas in getting done.

Sorry for length. I’m amazed at everyone working hard to get people care across in the country. Urgently. People have shown over and over again that if we want something important, we need to work for it.

This is what it’s going to take. An unwillingness to fail.