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New bill would lower drug prices - A Message to Our Membership

7/30/2022

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New Bill Would Lower Drug Prices
Letter to the Editor

Health Care Reform Forum

The Health Care Reform Forum continues to encourage our community members to contact their legislators through the use of Letters to the Editor. This one was published in the Quad-City Times on July 24th. Read the published letter at the link below.

Letter to the Editor - New Bill Would Lower Drug Prices

New Bill Would Help Lower Drug Prices

Democrats in the US Senate announced an agreement to take a first step toward negotiating the prices of prescription drugs for Medicare recipients. More than 80% of Americans support such a price negotiation, which has been persistently opposed by the pharmaceutical industry.  
        
This new proposal would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to begin price negotiations on up to ten drugs to begin in 2025 and up to ten more by 2026. Although this is a modest first step, it would save millions of dollars for consumers and for the Medicare insurance system. Lobbyists for Big Pharma are already criticizing the plan.
        
Since Democrats, from previous experience, expect Republicans to unite in opposition to the bill, they have secured unanimous support from their senators and hope to pass the measure through the “reconciliation” process. This would be a small but significant step toward the long-term goal of lowering the costs of many life-saving prescription drugs.  
        
Experts believe that this bill will not only encourage innovation by drug companies, but also reduce prices. Please contact your senators (Democrats and Republicans) and urge them to support this long overdue legislation.

Frank Samuelson
Health Care Reform Forum
Progressive Action for the Common Good


Read the published letter here.

Frank Samuelson
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Health Care Reform Forum - Vote for Inflation Reduction Act 411

7/30/2022

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Ask Legislators to lower drug prices with Inflation Reduction Act

Health Care Reform Forum

Here is a Letter-to-the-Editor that the Health Care Reform Forum has sent to the local press regarding drug prices and health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

OUR $100 MILLION PROBLEM
​

A nationwide poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that Americans owe 100 million dollars in medical debt. Twenty-five percent of families owe $5,000 or more, and 20% say they won’t be able to pay off their debt. Even families with insurance often find that accidents or emergency care may overwhelm their resources.
 
Medical debt causes families to cut spending for food and other essentials (63%), use up all their savings (48%), and declare bankruptcy (17%). It also often prevents them from getting health care - even urgent care.
 
There are many causes for this debt: “surprise” billing by out of network providers, insurance with high deductibles, excessive price hikes for prescription drugs, and just the high cost of treatment in our country with the world’s most expensive health care system. As one expert says: “We have a health care system almost perfectly designed to create debt.”
 
Some states have tried to address this problem by forbidding credit reporting companies from including medical debt on credit scores, because that can prevent someone from buying a car or a home even when their credit is otherwise good. 
 
Let’s encourage states to adopt fairer credit policies, as above.  We can also advocate for national policies to curb rapid inflation of medical and drug costs. Tell your senators to support the bill to help lower drug  prices and extend and increase health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Ask them to support the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” today.

Frank Samuelson
 
 
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August Green Drinks in person!

7/27/2022

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August Green Drinks - In-person event!
Tuesday, August 2nd at 5:00 pm

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Nahant Marsh Education Center
4220 Wapello AV
Davenport, IA (map)


Environmental Forum

Summer Research at Nahant Marsh

Speaker: James Wiebler, Naturalist and Research Coordinator at Nahant Marsh Education Center

Did you know that Nahant Marsh has a summer research program where college students conduct research on ecological projects? Meet naturalist Jimmy Wiebler, who directs students on their projects. Jimmy also provides wildlife and ecological programs to the public. He will tell us about the current research projects at Nahant Marsh with the focus on turtle ecology.

Afterwards we will adjourn to El Campita Mexican Bar & Grill for networking and refreshments (Refreshment Map).

To register go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register (Please disregard the Zoom link sent to you after you register.) 

Click here for a printable flyer.

Susan Leuthauser
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Gender Equity Forum Meeting - After Action Report

7/24/2022

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Gender Equity Forum First Meeting - July 19th - After Action Report

Gender Equity Forum

The Gender Equity Forum held its first meeting on Tuesday, July 19th at the Bettendorf Library. Thirty-five people were in attendance. 
While we normally won't share a forum meeting update as an After Action Report, this was our first one and we were very pleased with the turnout.

Although there were technical issues with hooking up the computer to the Gilbert Room's system, the forum facilitators were able to "wing-it" in fine form. We began with a discussion of what we had planned for the meeting and then broke into two meetings to brainstorm ideas for actions to be taken in both Illinois and in Iowa.

Here's the PowerPoint presentation that we had hoped to share. You will probably see something similar to this in a future meeting.

Alta Price
Carolyn Martin
2022.07.19_gender_equity_forum_meeting.pptx
File Size: 166 kb
File Type: pptx
Download File

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LTE from Iowa Medical Professionals re: Abortion as health care - PACG Event

7/24/2022

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Letter to the Editor from Iowa medical providers regarding abortion as health care 

Gender Equity Forum

July 19, 2022

To The Editor:

(Note: Read the published letter here.)

As physicians and advanced practice providers from across the State of Iowa who care for women, we are compelled to outline our concerns for their healthcare after the recent SCOTUS decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health which overturned prior precedent of autonomy and privacy for women. While abortion and contraception remain legal and available in Iowa for now, we are concerned about future legislation that has the potential to negatively impact the health and autonomy of our patients.

We have conversations daily with women about medical conditions that may adversely affect a pregnancy or vice versa. Complications that can arise in pregnancy are complex, different for every person, and often unpredictable. We are highly trained medical professionals, yet we cannot foresee every pregnancy complication; therefore, policymakers cannot be expected to do so. We are concerned that maternal outcomes will be adversely affected in Iowa if more restrictive abortion legislation is enacted. Maternal outcomes have already suffered in Texas after legislation that significantly limited abortion was signed into law in September 2021. 1 Furthermore, legislation restricting abortion may worsen inequities in maternal health outcomes for people of color and those with limited economic resources. The pregnancy-related maternal mortality rate in Iowa for non-Hispanic Black women is currently six times higher than

the rate for non-Hispanic White women. 2

Some states have passed legislation that defines life as beginning at conception and these laws threaten medical advances such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and medicated intrauterine devices (IUDs). IVF accounts for 2% of all births in the United States. Defining life as beginning with fertilization, even outside a woman's body and restricting a patient’s autonomy over their own embryos will result in reductions of pregnancy rates. Medicated IUDs are used for medical conditions such as endometriosis, irregular menstrual bleeding or to prevent cancer of the uterus. Some states have targeted IUDs under restrictive legislation despite little evidence that their mechanism of action is to prevent implantation of an embryo. We hope our legislators can appreciate that farreaching legislation can have inadvertent consequences that place lives at risk. These reproductive health decisions, including abortion, should be made after an informed individual in consultation with a trusted healthcare provider.


And finally, physician staffing in Iowa may worsen if additional legislation is passed to restrict abortion and healthcare for women. Recruitment and retention will be more difficult and physician training programs could lose accreditation, resulting in closure. Highly restrictive laws will make this state much less attractive to outstanding physicians who desire to practice evidence-based medicine utilizing the best treatments for helping patients in need. The State of Iowa is understaffed for Family Medicine and OBGYN physicians and this deficit is projected to worsen by 2030. 3 - 4  Since 2000, 40 rural Iowa hospitals have closed their maternity units. 5 This has resulted in maternity care deserts in 29 Iowa counties. 6 Women often drive 2 hours or more, one way, for prenatal care. These hardships will worsen with legislation that impairs reproductive and medical autonomy for patients and their physicians. 7

We implore the policymakers for Iowa at the State and Federal level to collaborate with us, the physicians and advanced practice providers who provide healthcare to the women of Iowa. We advocate for public policy that maintains bodily autonomy and privacy for women, does not restrict medical practices designed to improve the health and fertility of women and sometimes saves their lives. Give us a seat at the table, so that we can learn from one another and find the common ground we all desire: Improved health and well-being for women and infants in our state.

Respectfully,

Andrea Greiner, MD and numerous others

1 Nambiar A, Patel S, Santiago-Munoz P, Spong CY, Nelson DB, Maternal morbidity and fetal outcomes among pregnant women at 22 weeks’ gestation or less with complications in two Texas hospitals after legislation onabortion, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.06.060.
2 https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.smfm.org/mortality_records/134-:state_slug.pdf, accessed 7/5/2022
3 https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/data-research/projections-supply-demand-2018-2030.pdf. Accessed 7/5/2022
4 https://www.ama-assn.org/about/masterfile/ama-physician-masterfile. Accessed 7/5/2022.
5 Access to Obstetrical Care in Iowa: A report to the Iowa State Legislature – Calendar year 2019. Division of Health Promotion & Chronic Disease Prevention – Bureau of Family Health, January 2021.
6 https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/datareg=99&top=23&stop=641&lev=1&slev=4&obj=9&sreg=19. Accessed 7/5/2022
7 https://www.ansirh.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/turnaway_socioeconomic_outcomes_issue_brief_8-

20-2018.pdf. Accessed 7/5/2022


Carolyn Martin
Alta Price


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Introducing our new Office Manager - Maggie Davis - A Message to Our Members

7/18/2022

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Introducing the new PACG Office Manager - Maggie Davis

A Message to Our Members

​
The PACG Hiring Committee is happy to announce that we have hired a new part-time Office Manager, Maggie Davis! We had many responses to our advertisement and Maggie was one of three finalists interviewed this week. It was a tough decision but we believe that we have selected the best candidate for this job.

Maggie is originally from the Quad Cities, having graduated from St. Ambrose University with a BA in Public Relations and Marketing Communications. She worked on the south and west sides of Chicago in leadership roles with KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program), where she received accolades for her accomplishments. Her most recent job was in human resources. She comes to us with a powerful resume, terrific references and a lot of skills that will help us continue to do our progressive work for the common good. Welcome, Maggie!

the PACG Hiring Committee
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Introducing Hands Off! Happy Hour - PACG Event

7/17/2022

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Introducing ✋ Hands Off  Happy Hour🤚 ​!
Wednesday, August 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm

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Rozz-Tox
2108 3rd AV
​Rock Island, IL 61201 (map)


PACG Gender Equity Forum


One of our new forum's goals is education about issues impacting women and non-binary people. We have decided to follow in the footsteps of our very active and successful Environmental Forum and do a monthly educational, social gathering for the Gender Equity Forum. If you are unfamiliar with Green Drinks, the PACG Environmental Forum has been holding these monthly meetings since February of 2019. Green Drinks usually offers one guest speaker who discusses their particular area of environmental expertise at the meeting. You can see a complete list of all of the PACG-hosted Green Drinks meetings here.

With this inspirational group in mind, the Gender Equity Forum will host its first Hands Off! Happy Hour on Wednesday, August 10th at 5:00 pm at Rozz-Tox in Rock Island.


You can order a drink either inside or at the walk up window outdoors. If the weather permits, we will gather outside in the green space at the right side of the building, and, if it’s raining, we will meet inside.

This will be a social hour with no selected speaker. We will speak briefly about the importance of community, friendship and self-care during the difficult work ahead. 

Please join us for the fun!

Alta Price and Carolyn Martin
Gender Equity Forum Co-Facilitators
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Channel Cat Presentation - After Action Report

7/12/2022

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Channel Cat Presentation - After Action Report
Plastic Pollution on the Mississippi River 

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Environmental Forum

The Environmental Forum hosted a Channel Cat talk on July 5th and 7th for River Action. The 90-minute talks were well attended and described plastic pollution on the Mighty Mississippi. Attendees were encouraged to take the Plastic Free July Challenge to reduce your plastic footprint.

Lori McCollum
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WVIK Interview about Plastic Free July - After Action Report

7/12/2022

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WVIK Interview - After Action Report

Environmental Forum

​
A public service announcement was released about Plastic Free July after an interview with Lori McCollum, co-facilitator of the PACG Environmental Forum.

https://www.wvik.org/podcast/river-way-stories/2022-07-02/plastic-free-mississippi

Lori McCollum
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Gender Equity Forum Meeting July 19th at 7:00 pm

7/11/2022

1 Comment

 

Gender Equity Forum Meeting
Tuesday, July 19th from 7:00 to 8:00 pm

Gender Equity Forum

Bettendorf Public Library, Gilbert Room
2950 Learning Campus Drive
Bettendorf, IA (map)


The Gender Equity Forum’s next meeting will be Tuesday, July 19th from 7:00 - 8:00 pm in the Gilbert Room at the Bettendorf Public Library. The Gilbert Room is located on the 2nd floor. While future meetings may have a Zoom or hybrid option, this one will be in-person only.

The mission statement for our forum is: This forum works to remove barriers to equal opportunity for women and nonbinary individuals. We educate and engage members in positive action that they can take to help affect change.

This meeting will be a great opportunity to have conversations with other individuals who are passionate about gender equity. 

The planned action item for this evening is to organize in-person meetings with Iowa State legislators to discuss abortion access and to reiterate our belief that abortion is an individual’s health right. (Illinois residents will discuss what actions make the most sense for them at this point, given that abortion at the state level will probably not be restricted.) If you don't already know who represents you in the Iowa legislature, click this link to find out: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find

The American Medical Association published this statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe, calling the decision “an egregious allowance of government intrusion into medicine.”

Our Tuesday, August 16th meeting will also be held at the Bettendorf Library, although we plan to alternate future events on both the Illinois and Iowa sides of the Quad Cities, and will vary which night of the week the meetings will be held. 

If you are unable to attend our meetings but still have interest in learning what you can do on your own to take action regarding gender equity, visit our website (www.pacgqc.org), subscribe to our weekly Progressive Action Update, and/or email us at qcprogressiveaction@gmail.com.


Carolyn Martin
Alta Price
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