LRHA ADVOCACY
2025 ADVOCACY AGENDA
2025 ADVOCACY AGENDA IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Urge Congress to Not Make Drastic Cuts to Medicaid
Congress is making progress towards a budget reconciliation package to advance the President's domestic agenda. Health-related proposals, particularly within the Medicaid program, are being discussed as potential offsets for other policies. Recently, both the House and Senate advanced their fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget resolutions, which call for trillions in spending cuts that could potentially impact Medicaid and other key health care programs.
As we know, Medicaid is not just a healthcare program-it plays a significant role in sustaining the viability of rural healthcare systems, including hospitals, clinics, and community health centers.
NRHA had developed resources regarding the rural implications of potential Medicaid cuts and how to best advocate to protect Medicaid.
For more information on the rural impact of proposed Medicaid cuts, view NRHA's one-pager fact sheet
For more information on how reforms of Medicaid spending can impact rural Louisiana, view the 2023 Rural Medicaid coverage by county, the 2024 Medicaid Enrollment Data, Percent of Total Population, by state or Congressional District, and KFF's Maps on State-by-State Estimates from Eliminating the Medicaid Expansion Federal Match Rates .
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Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities Set to Expire March 31, 2025
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How to Contact Your Member of Congress
Sample Message:
Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent from [City/Town] in Louisiana. I am calling to urge [Representative/Senator Last Name] to help protect critical rural health funding. I respectfully request your advocacy with the Administration to not attempt to freeze federal funding that would disrupt essential health services and harm our local communities. Thank you for your time and commitment to Louisiana.
For questions or additional information, please contact me at [Email Address] or [Phone Number]. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Find Your Representative or Senator
- Visit House.gov – Enter your ZIP code in the “Find Your Representative” tool in the upper right hand corner of the webpage.
- Senator Bill Cassidy, (202) 224-5824
- Senator John Kennedy, (202) 224-4623
Send an Email
- Visit your legislator’s official website and locate their online contact form.
- Use a clear subject line (e.g., “URGENT: Protect Rural Health Funding”), copy the message above into the form, and add your information
- Add any information specific to the impact that a federal funding freeze would have to your organization.
Call Their Office
- Find the office phone number on your legislator’s website.
Use the NRHA Voter Voice Portal
- Visit the NRHA Voter Voice Portal
- Enter the information requested in the box on the right-hand side of the page
- Add any information specific to the impact that a federal funding freeze would have to your organization.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
National Rural Health Association Grassroots Advocacy
The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has a number of resources available to help you actively and easily participate in national advocacy efforts. NRHA's three main advocacy priority areas include: 1) addressing rural declining life expectancy and rural equity, 2) reducing rural health care workforce shortages and 3) investing in a strong rural safety net. Visit their Advocacy page to view advocacy guides, policy "leave behinds" documents, and current campaigns that you can support today!
OTHER LRHA ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES
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COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES
LRHA is proud to participate and represent rural interests and needs on the following committees and task forces:
- Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force (HCR 44 - HCR 100 - HCR 87)
- Louisiana Alzheimer's Coalition
- Louisiana Department of Health Review, Advise, and Inform Board
- Medicaid Public Health Emergency Unwinding Roundtable
- Provider-to-Provider Consultation Line Advisory Board
- Whole Health Louisiana Steering Committee
- National Rural Health Association Government Affairs
Committee
- Louisiana Chronic Disease Collective