U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures helps sponsor bill to broaden health care coverage

U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Alabama) has announced that he is a lead co-sponsor for a bill to expand health care coverage to millions of Americans who are uninsured.

Figures says the Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-Eligible Residents Now (COVER Now) Act would help people who are uninsured due to state-level refusals to accept federal Medicaid expansion funds.

“People across Alabama—both Democrat and Republican—have called for the state to expand Medicaid for over a decade,” Figures said in a statement.

“Because of the state’s refusal to do so, more than 300,000 people are unable to receive quality health care that they would have access to if the state expanded Medicaid. This bill provides an option for the people of Alabama to bypass the state and receive health care coverage.

“Expanding Medicaid is a bipartisan issue given the fact that 40 states and the District of Columbia have already expanded coverage. I urge my colleagues to support this bill so that thousands of people in Alabama and millions of people nationwide can finally access the quality, affordable health care they deserve.”

The COVER Now Act provides another option for states, like Alabama, that have refused Medicaid expansion. It would establish Medicaid pilot projects, allowing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to work directly with counties and cities to provide coverage for individuals who would qualify for Medicaid if their states chose to expand.