NoHLA Executive Director Janet Varon was honored to receive the 2018 Marcia Howery Award from the Washington Healthcare Access Alliance, “in recognition of demonstrated, long term commitment and contribution to healthcare access serving Washington’s vulnerable patients.” WHAA is the association of free clinics throughout the state. Marcia Howery was a pioneering free clinic director, mentor, and advocate who worked...

Under the proposed public charge rules, one of the groups who may be prevented from receiving a green card is individuals with HIV/AIDS.   This could potentially worsen the HIV/AIDS epidemic by forcing people living with the condition to forego treatment. The two largest federal funding sources for healthcare for people living with HIV/AIDS are Medicare...

An estimated 1.4 million transgender individuals in the U.S. could be impacted by the Trump Administration’s latest announcement that it wants to narrowly define gender based on genitalia at birth. This short-sighted idea has yet to be formally proposed; it is being considered as the Department of Health and Human Services works to establish a...

Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) once provided hopeful innovation waiver opportunity to progressive states, but now serves as another tool for the Trump Administration to undermine the ACA. New guidance from the Department of Health & Human Services and the Department of Treasury encourages use of private insurance, association plans and short-term...

From NoHLA: About that staffing transition…NoHLA is indebted to Molly Firth, a talented health policy advocate who has served as our Communications consultant for the past year. As she moves on to new opportunities, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for all she’s done to get critical information out to you, our readers, and...

The Trump administration is proposing rules designed to impede and reduce legal immigration while threatening immigrants who use health care, nutrition, and housing benefits that they qualify for. These “public charge” proposed rules were published in the Federal Register yesterday, starting the clock on a 60-day comment period. The rules signal a shift in legal...

Despite concerns about his stances on health care, presidential power, and women’s and LGBT rights, his temperament, and sexual assault allegations against him, newly-sworn in Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was seated this week. Unfortunately, sexual assault survivors have been re-traumatized by the events of recent weeks. The confirmation process raised many concerns about the...

Last weekend, the Department of Homeland Security released a new draft of the proposed rules advocates have been expecting for many months. The latest draft proposal expands the definition of public charge from primarily depending on to merely using a government program. Immigrants seeking to adjust their status or be admitted to the US are penalized for using a wide...

Judge Brett Kavanaugh was in the hot seat for his confirmation hearings. But now he faces even greater scrutiny following accusations of sexual assault. All eyes are on him and one of his accusers as they are both called in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Stakes are high as we approach the mid-term...

Two lawsuits were filed recently challenging the Trump Administration’s actions against the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Maryland’s Attorney General filed suit against the Trump Administration, alleging that the uncertainty caused by the Trump Administration about the unconstitutionality of the ACA is directly damaging Maryland. The lawsuit asks that the ACA be declared constitutional and enforceable,...