For Immediate Release: November 2, 2023
Media Contact: Gabriela Hernandez
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/gp/
MARYLAND — November 2, 2023, CASA members, supporters and healthcare advocates gathered at the Multicultural Center to announce a five-day, 50-mile “March of the Uninsured: Healthcare for All.” Immigrant Marylanders will march from Baltimore City to Annapolis to raise awareness about the urgent need for accessible healthcare for all residents of Maryland, regardless of citizenship or employment status. They will advocate for healthcare equity, including expanded access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for all Marylanders. More at http://wearecasa.org/
“Our call for immigrant justice in healthcare will echo across the communities we pass through and resonate with a unifying call that immigration status should not determine healthcare access. Together, we will march towards a healthier, more equitable Maryland,” said Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA.
In the 2023 legislative session, the Access to Care Act passed in the House, but was never brought to the floor for a vote in the Senate. The medical needs of Marylanders without access to healthcare cannot be put on hold another year.
“I’ve been dealing with diabetes for about seven years. However, three months ago, my health took a turn. I didn’t have health insurance and due to financial reasons, I couldn’t afford proper care to manage my diabetes. As a result, my leg had to be amputated,” said CASA Member Jose Crespin. “I find myself with over $50,000 in debt after emergency hospital visits due to issues with my leg. I can’t afford that amount of money. Today, I am here confronting the injustice that immigrant communities without access to medical care have to face. Our lawmakers must take action and not leave us forgotten.”
Because of the urgency on healthcare needs for Maryland residents, CASA organized this march to support the Access to Care Act and highlight the struggles uninsured immigrants face in Maryland. The healthcare access campaign is led by those directly impacted by lack of access to healthcare, those with medical debt, the uninsured, and undocumented Marylanders, in coordination with advocates for immigrant healthcare across the state.
“No one should have to face illness alone. Thousands of immigrants in Maryland are facing chronic and debilitating illnesses without health insurance. This is a step forward towards a more inclusive equitable healthcare system for all our immigrant brothers and sisters, regardless of immigration status,” said Reverend Kobi Little, president of the Maryland State NAACP. “We must always continue to fight for freedom and human rights together. Together we march for immigrant healthcare justice.”
From January 5 to January 10, 2024, healthcare advocates, individuals, families, and grassroots organizations will embark on a five-day journey, in support of healthcare access for everyone, regardless of immigration status. Braving the harsh winter weather, people will march for 10 miles each day raising awareness, dollars, and support for the dignity and rights of all Marylanders. The march will begin in the heart of Baltimore and end at the steps of the Maryland State House in Annapolis.
CASA member Jeanette Kenne shared, “I’ve had a series of health issues that have held me captive for years. I am one of many in the undocumented community suffering in the shadows due to this broken health system. Sickness does not discriminate. Sickness does not care about your immigration status, but our healthcare system does and we have been excluded for too long.”
While the Affordable Care Act has provided affordable healthcare options for millions across the nation since 2010, undocumented immigrants are excluded from its benefits. The Access to Care Act aims to change that by ensuring that ALL income-eligible Maryland residents can purchase coverage through the exchange, regardless of their immigration status.
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With over 155,000 lifetime members across 46 US states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. CASA creates change with its powerbuilding model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. www.werecasa.org
