I believe in some simple principles. If you’re sick in this country, you should be able to get quality healthcare. Getting care shouldn’t bankrupt you. People shouldn’t have to choose between medicine and putting food on the table.
However, healthcare is growing more and more unaffordable. It’s not only bad for our health – it’s bad for our economy. Escalating costs are simply unsustainable. They’re unsustainable for individuals. They’re unsustainable for our businesses.
That’s why this year I introduced HB 481. It has a simple premise: hospitals should publish the prices of their care. Doing so allows patients to know in advance what a procedure should cost. Transparency allows businesses to negotiate what they pay for care. Such transparency is critical to combatting surprise hospital bills and controlling costs.
This shouldn’t be a partisan issue – and thus far, I’m glad it hasn’t been. I’ve been able to build a bipartisan coalition that includes not only labor unions and the AARP but also former senior administration officials from Republican Presidential Administrations. Several of my GOP colleagues have signed onto the bill. While we may disagree on many issues, we agree that making care affordable and transparent is critical for patients. I’m thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, who have joined together to push this forward.
Our bill advanced this week on a bipartisan basis, despite the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association lobbyist testifying that Virginia hospitals already provide transparent pricing. A study released almost at the same time as her testimony showed this simply isn’t true.
Our bill looks well postured to make it out of the House. We expect special interests that have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations in recent years to prevent progress, to try to grab the ears of our Senate colleagues.
I’m hoping they will stand strong and support us in this critical endeavor to control the costs of healthcare.
Legislative Updates
As we approach “crossover” next week, when all our bills must pass the House in order to have a chance at reaching the Senate to ultimately become law, the pace at which our bills are reviewed has picked up speed.
Our bill to address the widespread health care provider shortages resulting from the pandemic and permits temporary reciprocal licensure of healthcare practitioners licensed in another state. I am glad to see that this bill is continuing to make progress. It is essential that every Virginian in need of care is able to receive it.
I also am a huge believer in the importance of higher education for helping people reach the middle class. Currently, Virginia kicks low-income students off of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) after they’ve been at school for two years, even if they are in the process of earning a four-year degree. HB 484 would change that, and I’m proud it has advanced unanimously out of committee.
Not every bill is a drop down, drag out partisan fight. In fact most bills pass unanimously as we do the people’s work. For example, this week we passed unanimously a bill that extends healthcare coverage for those who suffer a severe traumatic brain injury.
Nonetheless, I was disappointed to see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle pass bills that roll back commonsense gun violence prevention and voting rights. A particularly heinous bill, which hopefully the Senate will kill, would prevent military voters–and others–from being able to automatically receive absentee ballots.
You can follow the progress of other bills we’ve proposed here.
I look forward to keeping you informed on the progress we are making in the coming weeks and welcome your ideas and feedback.
Community Connections
This week, I joined with other legislators and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 512 at the Richmond Capitol as they gathered to fight for and remind us that home care is essential. We must continue to fight for fair pay, strong benefits and quality care for all.
I also appreciated hearing from United States Marine Corps spouses about making Virginia more accessible for Virginia retirees, and from the new Director of the Department of Veterans Services about his priorities for the department.
I met with members of Moms Demand Action to discuss their legislative priorities for the session. I am grateful for their steadfast support and advocacy for keeping our communities safe from gun violence.
And it was my honor to welcome members of the Sikh Foundation of Virginia to the House floor today. It’s been my pleasure to visit their Gurdwara in the 40th District on multiple occasions, and thank you to Mr. Surjeet Sidhu and fellow community members for coming to visit us in Richmond!
COVID-19 Updates
We are past the Omicron surge. The positivity rates in both Fairfax and Prince William Counties have dropped significantly. In Fairfax, the positivity rate from January 30 – February 5 was 8.5%, down from 12.3% in the prior period. In Prince William County, positivity for the period ended February 5 was 13.0%, down from 19.7%. You can stay up-to-date on COVID-19 rates here.
Vaccines and masks continue to be our best defense against serious illness and hospitalization even as the positivity rate declines.
N95 Mask rollout. The CDC recommends wearing a protective mask like an N95 mask. Clinics and pharmacies have begun to offer N95 masks following the White House’s announcement. For the full list of participating stores, click here.
Need a shot? If you haven’t been vaccinated or are eligible now for a booster, you can schedule your shot in Fairfax County here and in Prince William County here. Children aged 5 and up are eligible for vaccines. Teens aged 12 and up are eligible for boosters 5 months after completing their COVID vaccine series.
Shots for the very young. The FDA will decide next week after their meeting on February 15 whether or not they will authorize Pfizer to give children 6 months through 4 years of age COVID-19 shots. Read more here.
Medicare coverage. Beginning in early Spring, people with Medicare will be able to get up to 8 free, over-the-counter COVID-19 tests a month through Medicare. Read more here.
Vaccination Clinic. The Centreville United Methodist Church is holding a vaccination clinic on Saturday, March 5 from 8-11 AM. The clinic is being conducted in partnership with the Fairfax County Health Department and the International Mayan League. All are welcome to attend. You may pre-register for an appointment here, but walk-ins are welcome, too.
Need a COVID test? Schedule your COVID-19 test in Fairfax County here and in Prince William County here.
In addition, you can use this tool to find a test by location, pediatric testing, rapid testing, Spanish language, and more.
Favorites of the 40th
This week’s Favorite of the 40th is the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E Foundation. Founded in 2010, Global Woman is a nonprofit organization, seeking to end violence and injustices against women and girls through education.
Legislation. Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation was helpful in getting Virginia state legislation passed in 2017-2018 to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Commonwealth. In 2019, Global Woman testified in Richmond for legislation to be passed for FGM to be included in the Family Life Education curriculum for middle and high school students in Virginia. To date, Virginia is the only state that has added FGM education to its Family Life Education curriculum.
Get involved. There are several ways to get involved with Global Woman. You can:
- Walk to End FGM held every October
- Attend Teachers’ Training Webinars
- Join Global Woman’s Support Group held online monthly
- Attend their Awards, which recognize women, men, and students who use their talents and professional attributes to help in the campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and other women’s interests, globally.
Programs. Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation also has several programs which include:
- Wholesome Organic Relief
- Survivor Resettlement
- Kids Reach Shield
- Just4You
Volunteer. Global Woman always needs volunteers, especially volunteer mental health counselors. In addition, the foundation has an internship program for high school students, which has been successful. If interested in volunteering or interning, please email info@
Donate. As a non-profit organization, Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation appreciates community support in achieving their mission. Their vision of a community that uses education to end violence and injustice against women and girls is one we can all support.