FIGHTING FOR OUR HUMAN RIGHT TO HEALTH

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including ...medical care and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

Across the country, health care programs for the poor are being systematically dismantled in violation of our human right to health. In a country with such an advanced health care system, it is morally wrong to deny the poor and the sick of the care we require.

We are uniting Medicaid recipients and the uninsured from all parts of the country and every walk of life as we fight to reclaim our human right to health.

• ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

  In West Virginia medicaid recipients have been limited to only 4 brand name prescription drugs per year.

  In Missouri, 100,000 people will be cut off of medicaid, effective this summer.

  In New York, the state is threatened with $1 billion in medicaid cuts.

  In North Carolina, recipients face proposed cuts to personal care services. 57,000 will be transferred to medicare and 8,000 will be cut off of medicaid altogether.

  In Michigan, a proposed 43,000 people will lose their medicaid coverage. Others will be imposed with hospital and doctor copays that they can't afford.

  In Mississippi, recipients will be limited to 2 brand name and 3 generic prescriptions each month, effective July 1.

  In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush has proposed eliminating the state's Medically Needy Program as early as July 1. An overall $1.2 billion in cuts is proposed.

  California faces a drastic $144.9 million in cuts this year, which will impose high premiums and limited dental care on medicaid recipients.

  And in Ohio, a proposed 40,000 people will be cut from medicaid.

• TENNESSEE

  Already 323,000 people have been cut off of the state's TENNcare program. Another 396,000 have had their coverage reduced.

  Read more about how enrollees and their allies are uniting to oppose the cuts...

• PENNSYLVANIA

  In Pennsylvania, drastic cuts were proposed and voted down last week. The proposed cuts would have limited recipients to 2 hospital visits per year and 6 prescriptions per month. They would not have covered the cost of wheelchairs for those who need them or the completion of treatment for breast cancer and other illnesses.

  These cuts were voted down due to the organized pressure from the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and other groups in Pennsylvania. In the context of such widespread, severe cuts throughout the country however, we see this victory as a small and temporary concession. Visit www.kwru.org for updates on the situation in the state of Pennsylvania.

  As a national movement of the poor, we will continue to fight against these cuts state by state. We have no other choice. We will not stand for such brutal denial of our rights. We will continue to organize emergency human rights brigades to every state. Stay tuned for dates and more information.

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