Virginia Near Bottom in Per Capita Spending to Promote Awareness of Health Care Law
Wednesday, July 24th, 2013
By The Associated Press
Only one state will spend less per capita than Virginia to promote public awareness of the new health care reform law.
According to data compiled by The Associated Press from federal and state sources, the $3.9 million in outreach spending in Virginia amounts to 49 cents per resident. Only Wisconsin, at 46 cents, is spending less per capita.
States that resisted President Barack Obama’s health overhaul generally are spending less to promote it. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging the law.
Virginia opted to allow the federal government to run its health insurance marketplace, which means all the marketing money in the state is going directly from the feds to community organizations and health centers. No state money is involved.
The spending in Virginia consists of $1.4 million in federal grants to community organizations and $2.5 million in federal grants to health centers serving the poor. Some community groups, including the Virginia Organizing Project, are using their own resources for outreach efforts that are not included in the official $3.9 million total.
Published: July 24, 2013