Legacy Community Health Releases Legislative Agenda and Lobby Day Schedule

Today we announced our health care priorities ahead of the 2019 Texas legislative session, which begins in January. Some key issues include school-based mental health services, telemedicine, and HIV prevention and treatment. Our longtime focus on non-discrimination protections and women’s health continues. The full policy portfolio can be found here.

Moving forward, Legacy’s government relations and advocacy work will live under a separate brand, “Legacy Takes Action,” with digital properties on Facebook and Twitter.

For the coming weeks and months, Legacy’s priorities include:

• Funding school-based behavioral health services to create a safer environment for students and school personnel, following the impacts of Hurricane Harvey and the recent school shootings in Texas and across the country.
• Fully funding Texas HIV Medication Program, which provides lifesaving drugs, supporting HIV prevention methods, including greater access to PrEP
• Making the case for increased access to telemedicine, especially among federally qualified health centers. Telemedicine allows patients to meet with their care providers over the internet, reducing major barriers to care like transportation and cost.
• At the federal level, opposing the proposed rule modifying “public charge” policy regarding health care for legal immigrants.

Legacy will host two lobby days, one for its entire health policy agenda on February 21, 2019 and the other, on March 20, 2019, exclusively on HIV policy.