Affordable, Quality Health Care for All South Carolinians

Over the years, SC Fair Share worked to increase access to quality health care for all South Carolinians.  Some actions we took included helping to increase the income level for children eligible for health care coverage through the Children's Health Insurance Program from 150% to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level; fighting for ten years for an increase in our state's cigarette tax to help fund health care in the form of Medicaid for our most vulnerable citizens; and advocating for and educating South Carolinians on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.  Keep reading below for information on how to stay current on topics related to affordable, quality health care for all South Carolinians!
  

South Carolina and the Affordable Care Act 
In March of 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The act sets out to address three main components of our health care system: cost, quality, and access.  Although certainly not perfect, this act, if implemented correctly, will help our state make great progress in getting our currently close to $1 million uninsured children and adults the health care coverage and piece of mind that they need!  

The Affordable Care Act and You
Although over a year old now, we know that the Affordable Care Act is very confusing to many people.  It is over 1,000 pages long, after all... it's hard to know what sources to trust and how to find the most current information.  Here are some of our favorites:

What Does National Health Care Reform Mean to Me.pdf created by SC Fair Share
South Carolina Health Care Voices  a partnership of SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center, AARP-SC, and SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce 
Healthcare.gov  created and maintained by the federal government

The Affordable Care Act Implementation Initiative
South Carolina Health Care Voices teamed up with the South Carolina Public Health Institute upon the passage of the law. We set out to convene stakeholders from around the state to work on implementing the Affordable Care Act in South Carolina through the eyes of the consumer.  Over 50 entities from the public and private sectors participate on nine working groups in order to fulfill this goal; click on the working group names below to get up-to-date information on each one, and learn how to get involved: 

Enrollment and Consumer Navigation
Health Insurance Exchange
Health Professional Workforce
Information Dissemination and Communication
Long-term Care
Medicaid
Prevention and Disparities
Quality and Outcomes
Safety Net