It’s no secret that living in the United States is dramatically different for people depending on their age, race, gender, and income.
Specifically for people with low incomes, their access to basic health care varies widely from state to state.
In North Carolina, for example, more than 500,000 people are denied access to the single largest insurer in the country, Medicaid. How do these inequities affect the way we all live and interact within our democracy?
On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, Dr. Jamila Michener will speak about these issues at the Pisgah Legal Services 12th Annual Justice Forum. The Forum takes place at 7 p.m. at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Asheville and will also be live-streamed. The event is free and open to the public, though you must preregister at www.pisgahlegal.org/justiceforum.
Dr. Michener is an associate professor of Government and Public Policy at Cornell University and the author of Fragmented Democracy: Medicaid, Federalism, and Unequal Politics. She studies poverty, racial inequality, and public policy. She will explore the implications for politics, power, and democracy when we have health and legal systems that impact people’s daily lives in ways that are profoundly unequal.
As Pisgah Legal Services Executive Director Jim Barrett notes, “Medicaid is the principal source of health insurance for poor Americans, but North Carolina is still one of only 12 states that have yet to expand access for all citizens living in poverty, despite significant federal incentives and the fact that it would allow more than 500,000 people to access care for chronic conditions, prevent illness and disease progression, and help North Carolinians live healthier, more productive lives.”
A pre-event reception will be held prior to the forum. Reception tickets are $50+/person (fees and taxes also apply) and include food and drink. To register and acquire tickets, visit www.pisgahlegal.org/justiceforum.
About Pisgah Legal Services
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) provides a broad array of free, civil legal aid, anti-poverty advocacy and access to health care assistance in the 18-county WNC region. With offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Highlands/Cashiers, Marshall, Newland, Rutherfordton, Spruce Pine, and Waynesville, Pisgah Legal served more than 20,000 people in 2021. Pisgah Legal employs staff attorneys and harnesses the power of approximately 300 volunteer lawyers who work pro bono to assist PLS clients.
