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WP:PAID. For advice about reviewing paid contributions, see
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MaryGaulke (
talk·contribs) has been paid by Families USA. Disclosures made below and on userpage.
Civil rights
"It grew out of the civil rights and anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960s." Really? This needs a citation.
Xihe 09:37, 6 July 2006 (UTC)reply
Candidates for deletion
Families USA, which I don't completely agree with, is one of the most important consumer health-care lobbying groups in Washington. They take a position on almost every major piece of health care legislation, and they are quoted frequently in all the major media. Deleting Famlilies USA from Wikipedia would make as much sense as deleting the state of Texas.
Nbauman 02:14, 8 April 2007 (UTC)reply
funding
This organization does not disclose its funding sources.
[1] Its policy positions seem to be strongly pro-insurance, and somewhat anti-PhRMA.
TVC 15 (
talk) 18:56, 30 September 2009 (UTC)reply
focus areas
looks *way* too slick to be casual Wikipedia editor - like work of Families USA operative. I can't help but suspect paid people doing this.
Doug Grinbergs (
talk) 08:57, 1 January 2020 (UTC)reply
Hi! I have a COI: Families USA has hired me to request some edits to this article. My goal is to make this article more complete and current, and to justify the removal of {{
ad}}. If it's helpful, I've also mocked up how these edits could look in the article (sans logo)
here.
Lead
Add to infobox: | key_people = Frederick Isasi (Executive Director) Done--
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:46, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
In first sentence, update "
health advocacy" to "
health advocacy and policy" to reflect the scope of the organization as described in the article body.Not done. No thirdy party source for the company being recognised for their mission on policy. --
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:46, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
Update second sentence from
The organization is dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.[1]
to
The organization seeks to change federal, state, and local policies to achieve high-quality, affordable health care and improved health outcomes for everyone.[2]Not done The reference does not support either version. The source has just a company name drop. Cut the sentence. --
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:52, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
Adding some more specificity and rewording in a more encyclopedic tone.
Add to beginning of fourth paragraph ("Families USA is one of the leaders..."):
Since 2017, Families USA's current executive director Frederick Isasi has testified before Congress on issues including health care costs, payment and delivery reform,[18] and health care coverage.[19][20]
Add to end of third paragraph:
In July 2021, House speaker
Nancy Pelosi called Families USA "a champion on health care for a long time now."[21]
In fourth paragraph, update
Families USA is one of the leaders of a national campaign to persuade states to
expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[22][23][24]
to
Families USA is one of the leaders of state-by-state campaigns to address the
Medicaid coverage gap among low-income Americans, supporting ballot initiatives and legislative strategies[25][26] and producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[27][28][29]
Add to end of fourth paragraph:
Families USA also works to change state laws and policies related to improving health equity, changing the underlying financial incentives in health care,[30] and improving maternal and child health.[31][32]
Mission
In last paragraph, update
Families USA’s work is focused on leveraging the power of government and government programs as well as private health care funding streams to drive toward sustainability.
to
Families USA's advocacy focuses on transparency, reduced costs, and positive health outcomes for patients.[33][34]
Background
I think this section could be significantly condensed or even deleted entirely, since it has very little relevance to Families USA itself. Perhaps a
WP:split to
Ronald Pollack even makes sense.
Focus Areas
I think it's safe to say this section is not encyclopedic and should be deleted.
New section with this sentence moved from the lead:
Families USA was co-founded in 1981 by Ronald Pollack, its first executive director, and Philippe Villers, the organization's current president.citation needed
I also found refs for the missing citation. With those added and the text modified to reflect them, it would read:
Technology entrepreneur Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[35] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[36]
Move from the end of the lead into this section:
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[37] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[38]
And add to the above:
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[39] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[14] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[38]
Add immediately after the above:
Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association, where he worked with leaders of both parties,[40] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[38] He took over the role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[41] and leader for 35 years.[40] In his work with Families USA, Isasi leads the organization's advocacy efforts.[42] He prioritizes collaborating with Republican lawmakers when opportunities arise that align with Families USA's progressive objectives.[40] In 2017,[43] 2018,[44] 2019,[45] 2020,[46] and 2021, The Hill named him a top grassroots lobbyist for his work for the organization.[47]
Add to end of section:
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy;[48] Stan Dorn, director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation;[49] Kelly Murphy, a maternal and child health policy expert;[32] Jen Taylor, director of federal relations;[30] Melissa Burroughs, an associate director[50] who leads an oral-health-for-all campaign;[51] Lydia Orth, director of Medicaid initiatives;[52] and Sara Lonardo, the senior director of communications.[53]
Advocacy
Add new section (using existing California Healthline ref[3] among others):
The New York Times has described Families USA as a "
nonpartisan consumer advocacy group".[54] According to the organization, its four focus areas are coverage, equity, value, and consumer engagement.[55] It advances its mission through public policy advocacy[56] and research.[57] The organization maintains a "story bank" of patient stories as a way to incorporate personal experiences into political advocacy.[58][59] Families USA operates a lobbying arm, Families USA Action, as a
501(c)4 organization.[60][61]
Also part of Families USA are the Center on Health Equity Action for System Transformation[62] and the National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI).[63] According to Families USA, the Center on Health Equity Action for System Transformation focuses on advancing policies to reduce inequities in the healthcare system.[64] Directed by Stan Dorn,[65] the NCCI advocates for measures to expand access to healthcare coverage, like permitting Maryland residents to begin enrolling for coverage as part of their tax returns.[66]
In 2015[3] and 2018, Families USA advocated for reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).[67] The organization has also advocated for a
public option for health insurance,[68] drawn attention to rising drug prices,[69][70] and expressed support for measures to ban surprise medical bills.[71] Families USA's Health Equity Task Force for Delivery and Payment Transformation published a report on healthcare inequities and proposed payment reforms in July 2018.[72] In May 2019, the organization was one of the founding members of the Consumers First health alliance to end surprise medical bills and take other steps to align health care system incentives with positive health outcomes for patients.[73]
Families USA's advocacy facilitated the addition of "no surprise billing" provisions into the
2021 United States federal budget.[74][75][11] As part of this effort, Isasi testified in Congress advocating for the measure in April 2019.[18][76][77] In collaboration with
West Health, Families USA endowed the 2020 West Health and Families USA Media Fellowship to fund healthcare journalism.[78][79]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Families USA released research finding that 32 percent of COVID-19 deaths through August 31, 2020, were related to a lack of sufficient health insurance.[57] The organization also released research, shared by PBS NewsHour, finding that approximately 5.4 million U.S. workers were uninsured after losing their jobs between February and May 2020.[80] In early 2021, Families USA worked to address barriers preventing
BIPOC from getting vaccinated.[81] A November 2021 paper for the
National Academy of Medicine coauthored by Families USA executive director Isasi provided an overview of the pandemic's impact on patients and communities and opportunities for systemic improvement.[82]
In late 2021, Families USA advocated for Medicare to include dental care as part of a budget bill in Congress at the time[50] and argued against means testing for access to dental benefits.[83] The organization also advocated to make health insurance premiums more affordable[84] and to address the
Medicaid coverage gap, particularly for people of color, in states that did not opt to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.[85] Isasi led the organization's efforts in fall 2021 to advocate for lowered prescription drug prices as part of the Biden administration's Build Back Better Plan.[8] He also testified before the
Senate Finance Committee on federal programs' future role in healthcare coverage.[20][86]
Achievements/Accreditation
Add:
The Hill named Isasi a top grassroots lobbyist for his work with Families USA in 2017,[43] 2018,[44] 2019,[45] 2020,[46] and 2021.[47] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
Consumer Action gave Families USA a Consumer Excellence Award in the community category in 2020.[87] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
In April 2021, the
Government Accountability Office added Families USA executive director Isasi to the newly formed State All Payers Claims Databases Advisory Committee.[88] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
@
Obijuanelp: Hi! I noticed you marked these items done, but they aren't implemented in the article. Can you please confirm if that was intentional? Thank you!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 15:25, 30 August 2022 (UTC)reply
Thanks for your time and your help.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 18:39, 11 February 2022 (UTC)reply
I'm declining this request for the moment. I began verifying, but the first paragraph I assessed (labeled [1] above) presented major problems. None of the assertions in either version are supported by the underlying sources, which generally just take quotes from Families USA’s directors. You can get from e.g. the California Healthline source that Families USA supports CHIP, and from the USA Today source, that it worked with right-leaning groups and a labor union to lobby on healthcare reform. But to go from that to asserting it “has played a leading role on virtually every major piece of health care legislation” is an unacceptably promotional stretch.
I'm extremely hesitant to undertake such a major overhaul of the article embodied in this edit request while glaring problems with promotionalism still exist. The "Background" section is a paean to the former executive director, for example. A request of this magnitude is going to require a lot of effort from an editor, and if another wishes to reopen it, feel free to do so. A more successful edit request would probably a) be smaller (which is unfortunate, but piece-by-piece often works better) and b) involve significantly less promotional content and rewrite problematic paragraphs. WhinyTheYounger (WtY)(
talk,
contribs) 21:55, 9 September 2022 (UTC)reply
Thanks so much for this feedback – super helpful. I've revised accordingly and posted new requests for the lead section below.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 02:24, 13 December 2022 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit requests for lead
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hi again! Per the feedback above, I've revised my edit requests for this article and will be sharing them section-by-section. First up, here are my proposed edits for the lead section:
In first sentence, update "
health advocacy" to "
health advocacy and policy" to reflect the scope of the organization as described in the article body.
Add to beginning of fourth paragraph ("Families USA is one of the leaders..."):
Since 2017, Families USA's current executive director Frederick Isasi has testified before Congress on issues including health care costs, payment and delivery reform,[12] and health care coverage.[13][14]
In fourth paragraph, update
Families USA is one of the leaders of a national campaign to persuade states to
expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[15][16][17]
to
Families USA has been involved in state-by-state campaigns to address the
Medicaid coverage gap among low-income Americans, supporting legislative strategies[18][19] and producing analysis documenting the benefits of extending health coverage.[20]
Thanks for your time and feedback.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 02:24, 13 December 2022 (UTC)reply
✅ Done! 02:59, 22 December 2022 (UTC)
Thanks so much for your help!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 04:16, 24 December 2022 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit requests for Background and History
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hi, COI editor here again with the next batch of edit request for this article, focusing on the "Background" section and a new "History" section I'm proposing.
Background
I think this section could be significantly condensed or even deleted entirely, since it has very little relevance to Families USA itself. Perhaps a
WP:split to
Ronald Pollack even makes sense. Happy to propose specific revisions if agreed and if it's helpful.
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[3] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4]
And add to the above (using ref name[5] already in use in article):
On November 23, 2016, Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with organizations from around the country to discuss efforts to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.[6] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[5] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4]
Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association[7] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[4] He took over the executive director role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[8] and leader for almost 35 years.[7]
Partly done Did not include information about Issai's prior jobs because
WP:UNDUE.
voorts (
talk/
contributions) 00:27, 28 April 2023 (UTC)reply
Add to end of section:
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy,[9] and Jen Taylor, director of federal relations.[10]
Technology entrepreneur Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[11] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[12]
On November 23, 2016, Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with organizations from around the country to discuss efforts to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.[13] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[5] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4] Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association[7] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[4] He took over the executive director role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[14] and leader for almost 35 years.[7]
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy,[15] and Jen Taylor, director of federal relations.[10]
As always, thanks for your time and your help.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 00:05, 25 December 2022 (UTC)reply
Hello! Per the discussion with
voorts above, proposing that the "Background" section of this article be condensed, removed, or split into a new
Ronald Pollack article. The content of the section is only tangentially connected to this article, and there may be enough content and sources to justify a new article.
Likewise, I need further justification for a standalone article for Ron Pollack. A cursory Google search confirmed my concerns as I saw some quotes and references to the work of Families USA, but very little to support Pollack’s notoriety having risen to the level of a permanent and lasting article on him alone.
ABT021 (
talk) 17:30, 17 June 2023 (UTC)reply
Hi both! I agree the subject may not qualify for its own article, but was encouraged to propose a split in the discussion above, given that the material is not, in my view, germane to this article. The most robust available sources I located are Washington Post, Vox, and The Hill. Thanks for your time!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 21:18, 18 June 2023 (UTC)reply
User:MaryGaulke, I would say “no”, because the sources in discussing him do so with heavy reference to Families USA and Obamacare. A source that discusses his departure from Family USA is not a source that speaks to his Wikipedia-notability independent of Families USA. If I saw an article based on these three sources, I would say “merge and redirect to
Families USA per
WP:BIO1E”.
On the section
Families USA#Background, which is heavy on a tangential coverage of
Ronald Pollack, I think the material needs either cutting, or rewriting from the perspective of discussing Families USA.
It may be helpful to proceed to draft
Draft:Ronald Pollack. You have the right to do this regardless. I don’t see it succeeding, but it would be helpful as a scratchspace for material that is about Pollack but not about Families USA. Looking at the sources for that section, the sources make strong reference to Families USA in introducing Pollack, so I don’t think there is much to support notability of Pollack independent of Families USA. If he has really left Families USA, future coverage may well support his independent notability and a possible future standalone biography.
Makes sense to me. Would it also be helpful if I proposed how the "Background" section be cut down? I also could see deleting it entirely. Thanks!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 16:21, 19 June 2023 (UTC)reply
Yes. If you proposed a rewrite here, then an edit request, that’s very helpful.
I suggest not cutting it entirely, but rewriting as background to Families USA, and not going down separate Pollack lines. I think all the facts could stay, just don’t keep couching each sentence in terms about Pollack. One issue begging is why so much focus on one cofounder. Name all the cofounders.
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 23:27, 20 June 2023 (UTC)reply
@
SmokeyJoe: Understood, thank you. I suggest that instead of the "Background" section, this information get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence:
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization, a role he filled until 2017.[1][2]The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[3][4] In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[5]
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hello! In response to
SmokeyJoe's feedback above, opening an edit request as an alternative to the split proposal above. I suggest that the information from the "Background" section relevant to the article topic get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence. I believe the rest of the "Background" section is
WP:OFFTOPIC and could then be deleted.
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization, a role he filled until 2017.[1][2]The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[3][4] In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[5]
Thanks for your time and feedback.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 13:24, 4 September 2023 (UTC)reply
Declined This request appears to propose what is to be added, but doesn't state what is to be deleted. Regards,
Spintendo 21:49, 5 September 2023 (UTC)reply
@
Spintendo: Hi! To be clear, I'm suggesting that the entire "Background" section except for the above be deleted. Should I copy that text here? Thank you!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 00:36, 6 September 2023 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit request for Background
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hello! In response to
SmokeyJoe's and
Spintendo's feedback above, opening a new edit request as an alternative to the split proposal above.
In "Background", delete
Families USA’s co-founder, Ronald Pollack, has created a number of other organizations. For 10 years he served as the founding executive director of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), an organization devoted to ending hunger in America. At FRAC, he successfully argued two cases on the same day in the U.S. Supreme Court that protected food aid for low-income people,[1] and he argued the federal court case that initiated the Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).[1] Pollack is the founding and current board chair of Enroll America, an organization dedicated to enrolling people in health coverage who were previously uninsured.[2][3]
Pollack was Dean of the Antioch University School of Law.[4] He was appointed by President
Bill Clinton to be the sole consumer representative on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry, which developed the Patients’ Bill of Rights.[5]
With those deletions, I suggest that the remaining information from the "Background" section relevant to the article topic get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence ("Technology entrepreneur
Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[6] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[7]").
Before the remaining text of "Background" (now in "History"), add a sentence of bridging context:
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization,[8] a role he filled until 2017.[9]
Update
The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists.[10][11][12]
to
The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[13]
Delete
Modern Healthcare named him as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Health Care.[14]
In my experience, a "top 100" ranking is typically not exclusive enough to be considered notable.
Update
National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[15]
to
In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[16]
Part of an edit requested by an editor with a
conflict of interest has been implemented.
Hi again, COI editor for Families USA here. I'd like to request the addition of a new "Advocacy" section to this article, covering the organization's scope and impact. The below is revised based on feedback above and more recent news:
The New York Times has described Families USA as a "
nonpartisan consumer advocacy group".[1] It advances its mission through public policy advocacy[2] and research.[3] The group maintains a "story bank" of patient stories as a way to incorporate personal experiences into political advocacy.[4][5]
Families USA's organization includes the National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI).[6] The NCCI advocates for measures to expand access to healthcare coverage, like permitting Maryland residents to begin enrolling for coverage as part of their tax returns.[7]
In 2015[8] and 2018, Families USA advocated for reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).[9] The organization has also drawn attention to rising drug prices[10][11] and expressed support for measures to ban surprise medical bills.[12][13] Families USA published a report on healthcare inequities and proposed payment reforms in July 2018.[14] In May 2019, the organization was one of the founding members of the Consumers First health alliance to end surprise medical bills, among other initiatives.[15]
Families USA's advocacy supported the addition of "no surprise billing" provisions into the
2021 United States federal budget.[16][17][18] As part of this effort, Isasi testified in Congress advocating for the measure in April 2019.[19][20][21]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Families USA released research finding that 32 percent of COVID-19 deaths through August 31, 2020, were related to a lack of sufficient health insurance.[3] The organization also released research, shared by PBS NewsHour, finding that approximately 5.4 million U.S. workers were uninsured after losing their jobs between February and May 2020.[22] In early 2021, Families USA worked to address barriers preventing
BIPOC from getting vaccinated.[23]
In late 2021, Families USA advocated for Medicare to include dental care as part of a budget bill in Congress at the time[24] and argued against means testing for access to dental benefits.[25] The organization also advocated to make health insurance premiums more affordable[26] and to address the
Medicaid coverage gap in states that did not opt to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.[27]
Partly done: I created a section called "overview and advocacy" as the initial statements show what the organization is known for. I also moved the relevant information from the history section to the new once. I only implemented part of the requested content as Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate list so we do not list out every initiative the organization has been involved in.
CNMall41 (
talk) 01:59, 15 April 2024 (UTC)reply
This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the
United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Organizations, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of
Organizations on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join
the discussion and see a list of open tasks.OrganizationsWikipedia:WikiProject OrganizationsTemplate:WikiProject Organizationsorganization articles
The
Wikimedia Foundation's
Terms of Use require that editors disclose their "employer, client, and affiliation" with respect to any paid contribution; see
WP:PAID. For advice about reviewing paid contributions, see
WP:COIRESPONSE.
MaryGaulke (
talk·contribs) has been paid by Families USA. Disclosures made below and on userpage.
Civil rights
"It grew out of the civil rights and anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960s." Really? This needs a citation.
Xihe 09:37, 6 July 2006 (UTC)reply
Candidates for deletion
Families USA, which I don't completely agree with, is one of the most important consumer health-care lobbying groups in Washington. They take a position on almost every major piece of health care legislation, and they are quoted frequently in all the major media. Deleting Famlilies USA from Wikipedia would make as much sense as deleting the state of Texas.
Nbauman 02:14, 8 April 2007 (UTC)reply
funding
This organization does not disclose its funding sources.
[1] Its policy positions seem to be strongly pro-insurance, and somewhat anti-PhRMA.
TVC 15 (
talk) 18:56, 30 September 2009 (UTC)reply
focus areas
looks *way* too slick to be casual Wikipedia editor - like work of Families USA operative. I can't help but suspect paid people doing this.
Doug Grinbergs (
talk) 08:57, 1 January 2020 (UTC)reply
Hi! I have a COI: Families USA has hired me to request some edits to this article. My goal is to make this article more complete and current, and to justify the removal of {{
ad}}. If it's helpful, I've also mocked up how these edits could look in the article (sans logo)
here.
Lead
Add to infobox: | key_people = Frederick Isasi (Executive Director) Done--
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:46, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
In first sentence, update "
health advocacy" to "
health advocacy and policy" to reflect the scope of the organization as described in the article body.Not done. No thirdy party source for the company being recognised for their mission on policy. --
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:46, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
Update second sentence from
The organization is dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.[1]
to
The organization seeks to change federal, state, and local policies to achieve high-quality, affordable health care and improved health outcomes for everyone.[2]Not done The reference does not support either version. The source has just a company name drop. Cut the sentence. --
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 06:52, 16 March 2022 (UTC)reply
Adding some more specificity and rewording in a more encyclopedic tone.
Add to beginning of fourth paragraph ("Families USA is one of the leaders..."):
Since 2017, Families USA's current executive director Frederick Isasi has testified before Congress on issues including health care costs, payment and delivery reform,[18] and health care coverage.[19][20]
Add to end of third paragraph:
In July 2021, House speaker
Nancy Pelosi called Families USA "a champion on health care for a long time now."[21]
In fourth paragraph, update
Families USA is one of the leaders of a national campaign to persuade states to
expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[22][23][24]
to
Families USA is one of the leaders of state-by-state campaigns to address the
Medicaid coverage gap among low-income Americans, supporting ballot initiatives and legislative strategies[25][26] and producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[27][28][29]
Add to end of fourth paragraph:
Families USA also works to change state laws and policies related to improving health equity, changing the underlying financial incentives in health care,[30] and improving maternal and child health.[31][32]
Mission
In last paragraph, update
Families USA’s work is focused on leveraging the power of government and government programs as well as private health care funding streams to drive toward sustainability.
to
Families USA's advocacy focuses on transparency, reduced costs, and positive health outcomes for patients.[33][34]
Background
I think this section could be significantly condensed or even deleted entirely, since it has very little relevance to Families USA itself. Perhaps a
WP:split to
Ronald Pollack even makes sense.
Focus Areas
I think it's safe to say this section is not encyclopedic and should be deleted.
New section with this sentence moved from the lead:
Families USA was co-founded in 1981 by Ronald Pollack, its first executive director, and Philippe Villers, the organization's current president.citation needed
I also found refs for the missing citation. With those added and the text modified to reflect them, it would read:
Technology entrepreneur Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[35] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[36]
Move from the end of the lead into this section:
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[37] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[38]
And add to the above:
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[39] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[14] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[38]
Add immediately after the above:
Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association, where he worked with leaders of both parties,[40] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[38] He took over the role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[41] and leader for 35 years.[40] In his work with Families USA, Isasi leads the organization's advocacy efforts.[42] He prioritizes collaborating with Republican lawmakers when opportunities arise that align with Families USA's progressive objectives.[40] In 2017,[43] 2018,[44] 2019,[45] 2020,[46] and 2021, The Hill named him a top grassroots lobbyist for his work for the organization.[47]
Add to end of section:
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy;[48] Stan Dorn, director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation;[49] Kelly Murphy, a maternal and child health policy expert;[32] Jen Taylor, director of federal relations;[30] Melissa Burroughs, an associate director[50] who leads an oral-health-for-all campaign;[51] Lydia Orth, director of Medicaid initiatives;[52] and Sara Lonardo, the senior director of communications.[53]
Advocacy
Add new section (using existing California Healthline ref[3] among others):
The New York Times has described Families USA as a "
nonpartisan consumer advocacy group".[54] According to the organization, its four focus areas are coverage, equity, value, and consumer engagement.[55] It advances its mission through public policy advocacy[56] and research.[57] The organization maintains a "story bank" of patient stories as a way to incorporate personal experiences into political advocacy.[58][59] Families USA operates a lobbying arm, Families USA Action, as a
501(c)4 organization.[60][61]
Also part of Families USA are the Center on Health Equity Action for System Transformation[62] and the National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI).[63] According to Families USA, the Center on Health Equity Action for System Transformation focuses on advancing policies to reduce inequities in the healthcare system.[64] Directed by Stan Dorn,[65] the NCCI advocates for measures to expand access to healthcare coverage, like permitting Maryland residents to begin enrolling for coverage as part of their tax returns.[66]
In 2015[3] and 2018, Families USA advocated for reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).[67] The organization has also advocated for a
public option for health insurance,[68] drawn attention to rising drug prices,[69][70] and expressed support for measures to ban surprise medical bills.[71] Families USA's Health Equity Task Force for Delivery and Payment Transformation published a report on healthcare inequities and proposed payment reforms in July 2018.[72] In May 2019, the organization was one of the founding members of the Consumers First health alliance to end surprise medical bills and take other steps to align health care system incentives with positive health outcomes for patients.[73]
Families USA's advocacy facilitated the addition of "no surprise billing" provisions into the
2021 United States federal budget.[74][75][11] As part of this effort, Isasi testified in Congress advocating for the measure in April 2019.[18][76][77] In collaboration with
West Health, Families USA endowed the 2020 West Health and Families USA Media Fellowship to fund healthcare journalism.[78][79]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Families USA released research finding that 32 percent of COVID-19 deaths through August 31, 2020, were related to a lack of sufficient health insurance.[57] The organization also released research, shared by PBS NewsHour, finding that approximately 5.4 million U.S. workers were uninsured after losing their jobs between February and May 2020.[80] In early 2021, Families USA worked to address barriers preventing
BIPOC from getting vaccinated.[81] A November 2021 paper for the
National Academy of Medicine coauthored by Families USA executive director Isasi provided an overview of the pandemic's impact on patients and communities and opportunities for systemic improvement.[82]
In late 2021, Families USA advocated for Medicare to include dental care as part of a budget bill in Congress at the time[50] and argued against means testing for access to dental benefits.[83] The organization also advocated to make health insurance premiums more affordable[84] and to address the
Medicaid coverage gap, particularly for people of color, in states that did not opt to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.[85] Isasi led the organization's efforts in fall 2021 to advocate for lowered prescription drug prices as part of the Biden administration's Build Back Better Plan.[8] He also testified before the
Senate Finance Committee on federal programs' future role in healthcare coverage.[20][86]
Achievements/Accreditation
Add:
The Hill named Isasi a top grassroots lobbyist for his work with Families USA in 2017,[43] 2018,[44] 2019,[45] 2020,[46] and 2021.[47] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
Consumer Action gave Families USA a Consumer Excellence Award in the community category in 2020.[87] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
In April 2021, the
Government Accountability Office added Families USA executive director Isasi to the newly formed State All Payers Claims Databases Advisory Committee.[88] DoneObijuanelp (
talk) 17:54, 29 August 2022 (UTC)reply
@
Obijuanelp: Hi! I noticed you marked these items done, but they aren't implemented in the article. Can you please confirm if that was intentional? Thank you!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 15:25, 30 August 2022 (UTC)reply
Thanks for your time and your help.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 18:39, 11 February 2022 (UTC)reply
I'm declining this request for the moment. I began verifying, but the first paragraph I assessed (labeled [1] above) presented major problems. None of the assertions in either version are supported by the underlying sources, which generally just take quotes from Families USA’s directors. You can get from e.g. the California Healthline source that Families USA supports CHIP, and from the USA Today source, that it worked with right-leaning groups and a labor union to lobby on healthcare reform. But to go from that to asserting it “has played a leading role on virtually every major piece of health care legislation” is an unacceptably promotional stretch.
I'm extremely hesitant to undertake such a major overhaul of the article embodied in this edit request while glaring problems with promotionalism still exist. The "Background" section is a paean to the former executive director, for example. A request of this magnitude is going to require a lot of effort from an editor, and if another wishes to reopen it, feel free to do so. A more successful edit request would probably a) be smaller (which is unfortunate, but piece-by-piece often works better) and b) involve significantly less promotional content and rewrite problematic paragraphs. WhinyTheYounger (WtY)(
talk,
contribs) 21:55, 9 September 2022 (UTC)reply
Thanks so much for this feedback – super helpful. I've revised accordingly and posted new requests for the lead section below.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 02:24, 13 December 2022 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit requests for lead
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hi again! Per the feedback above, I've revised my edit requests for this article and will be sharing them section-by-section. First up, here are my proposed edits for the lead section:
In first sentence, update "
health advocacy" to "
health advocacy and policy" to reflect the scope of the organization as described in the article body.
Add to beginning of fourth paragraph ("Families USA is one of the leaders..."):
Since 2017, Families USA's current executive director Frederick Isasi has testified before Congress on issues including health care costs, payment and delivery reform,[12] and health care coverage.[13][14]
In fourth paragraph, update
Families USA is one of the leaders of a national campaign to persuade states to
expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, producing analysis documenting the many benefits of extending health coverage for state economies and low-income people.[15][16][17]
to
Families USA has been involved in state-by-state campaigns to address the
Medicaid coverage gap among low-income Americans, supporting legislative strategies[18][19] and producing analysis documenting the benefits of extending health coverage.[20]
Thanks for your time and feedback.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 02:24, 13 December 2022 (UTC)reply
✅ Done! 02:59, 22 December 2022 (UTC)
Thanks so much for your help!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 04:16, 24 December 2022 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit requests for Background and History
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hi, COI editor here again with the next batch of edit request for this article, focusing on the "Background" section and a new "History" section I'm proposing.
Background
I think this section could be significantly condensed or even deleted entirely, since it has very little relevance to Families USA itself. Perhaps a
WP:split to
Ronald Pollack even makes sense. Happy to propose specific revisions if agreed and if it's helpful.
On November 23, 2016,
Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to discuss efforts to keep the Affordable Care Act alive.[3] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4]
And add to the above (using ref name[5] already in use in article):
On November 23, 2016, Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with organizations from around the country to discuss efforts to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.[6] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[5] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4]
Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association[7] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[4] He took over the executive director role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[8] and leader for almost 35 years.[7]
Partly done Did not include information about Issai's prior jobs because
WP:UNDUE.
voorts (
talk/
contributions) 00:27, 28 April 2023 (UTC)reply
Add to end of section:
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy,[9] and Jen Taylor, director of federal relations.[10]
Technology entrepreneur Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[11] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[12]
On November 23, 2016, Vanity Fair reported that shortly after
Donald Trump won the
2016 presidential election, Families USA held a
conference call with organizations from around the country to discuss efforts to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.[13] Families USA and national partner organizations also formed the Protect Our Care coalition.[5] In 2017, Frederick Isasi was appointed Executive Director of Families USA.[4] Prior to joining Families USA, Isasi was a director at the bipartisan
National Governors Association[7] and vice president of health policy at
the Advisory Board Company.[4] He took over the executive director role from Ron Pollack, the organization's founding executive director[14] and leader for almost 35 years.[7]
Other leadership at Families USA includes Eliot Fishman, senior director of health policy,[15] and Jen Taylor, director of federal relations.[10]
As always, thanks for your time and your help.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 00:05, 25 December 2022 (UTC)reply
Hello! Per the discussion with
voorts above, proposing that the "Background" section of this article be condensed, removed, or split into a new
Ronald Pollack article. The content of the section is only tangentially connected to this article, and there may be enough content and sources to justify a new article.
Likewise, I need further justification for a standalone article for Ron Pollack. A cursory Google search confirmed my concerns as I saw some quotes and references to the work of Families USA, but very little to support Pollack’s notoriety having risen to the level of a permanent and lasting article on him alone.
ABT021 (
talk) 17:30, 17 June 2023 (UTC)reply
Hi both! I agree the subject may not qualify for its own article, but was encouraged to propose a split in the discussion above, given that the material is not, in my view, germane to this article. The most robust available sources I located are Washington Post, Vox, and The Hill. Thanks for your time!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 21:18, 18 June 2023 (UTC)reply
User:MaryGaulke, I would say “no”, because the sources in discussing him do so with heavy reference to Families USA and Obamacare. A source that discusses his departure from Family USA is not a source that speaks to his Wikipedia-notability independent of Families USA. If I saw an article based on these three sources, I would say “merge and redirect to
Families USA per
WP:BIO1E”.
On the section
Families USA#Background, which is heavy on a tangential coverage of
Ronald Pollack, I think the material needs either cutting, or rewriting from the perspective of discussing Families USA.
It may be helpful to proceed to draft
Draft:Ronald Pollack. You have the right to do this regardless. I don’t see it succeeding, but it would be helpful as a scratchspace for material that is about Pollack but not about Families USA. Looking at the sources for that section, the sources make strong reference to Families USA in introducing Pollack, so I don’t think there is much to support notability of Pollack independent of Families USA. If he has really left Families USA, future coverage may well support his independent notability and a possible future standalone biography.
Makes sense to me. Would it also be helpful if I proposed how the "Background" section be cut down? I also could see deleting it entirely. Thanks!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 16:21, 19 June 2023 (UTC)reply
Yes. If you proposed a rewrite here, then an edit request, that’s very helpful.
I suggest not cutting it entirely, but rewriting as background to Families USA, and not going down separate Pollack lines. I think all the facts could stay, just don’t keep couching each sentence in terms about Pollack. One issue begging is why so much focus on one cofounder. Name all the cofounders.
SmokeyJoe (
talk) 23:27, 20 June 2023 (UTC)reply
@
SmokeyJoe: Understood, thank you. I suggest that instead of the "Background" section, this information get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence:
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization, a role he filled until 2017.[1][2]The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[3][4] In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[5]
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hello! In response to
SmokeyJoe's feedback above, opening an edit request as an alternative to the split proposal above. I suggest that the information from the "Background" section relevant to the article topic get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence. I believe the rest of the "Background" section is
WP:OFFTOPIC and could then be deleted.
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization, a role he filled until 2017.[1][2]The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[3][4] In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[5]
Thanks for your time and feedback.
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 13:24, 4 September 2023 (UTC)reply
Declined This request appears to propose what is to be added, but doesn't state what is to be deleted. Regards,
Spintendo 21:49, 5 September 2023 (UTC)reply
@
Spintendo: Hi! To be clear, I'm suggesting that the entire "Background" section except for the above be deleted. Should I copy that text here? Thank you!
Mary Gaulke (
talk) 00:36, 6 September 2023 (UTC)reply
revised COI edit request for Background
This
edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest has now been answered.
Hello! In response to
SmokeyJoe's and
Spintendo's feedback above, opening a new edit request as an alternative to the split proposal above.
In "Background", delete
Families USA’s co-founder, Ronald Pollack, has created a number of other organizations. For 10 years he served as the founding executive director of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), an organization devoted to ending hunger in America. At FRAC, he successfully argued two cases on the same day in the U.S. Supreme Court that protected food aid for low-income people,[1] and he argued the federal court case that initiated the Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).[1] Pollack is the founding and current board chair of Enroll America, an organization dedicated to enrolling people in health coverage who were previously uninsured.[2][3]
Pollack was Dean of the Antioch University School of Law.[4] He was appointed by President
Bill Clinton to be the sole consumer representative on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry, which developed the Patients’ Bill of Rights.[5]
With those deletions, I suggest that the remaining information from the "Background" section relevant to the article topic get incorporated into the "History" section, after the first sentence ("Technology entrepreneur
Philippe Villers and his wife Kate[6] co-founded Families USA in 1981.[7]").
Before the remaining text of "Background" (now in "History"), add a sentence of bridging context:
Ron Pollack, also a co-founder, became executive director of the organization,[8] a role he filled until 2017.[9]
Update
The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists.[10][11][12]
to
The Hill named Pollack one of the nine top nonprofit lobbyists in 2010.[13]
Delete
Modern Healthcare named him as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Health Care.[14]
In my experience, a "top 100" ranking is typically not exclusive enough to be considered notable.
Update
National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[15]
to
In 2014, National Journal named Pollack one of the top 25 players in Congress, the Administration, and the lobbying community on Medicare prescription drug benefits.[16]
Part of an edit requested by an editor with a
conflict of interest has been implemented.
Hi again, COI editor for Families USA here. I'd like to request the addition of a new "Advocacy" section to this article, covering the organization's scope and impact. The below is revised based on feedback above and more recent news:
The New York Times has described Families USA as a "
nonpartisan consumer advocacy group".[1] It advances its mission through public policy advocacy[2] and research.[3] The group maintains a "story bank" of patient stories as a way to incorporate personal experiences into political advocacy.[4][5]
Families USA's organization includes the National Center for Coverage Innovation (NCCI).[6] The NCCI advocates for measures to expand access to healthcare coverage, like permitting Maryland residents to begin enrolling for coverage as part of their tax returns.[7]
In 2015[8] and 2018, Families USA advocated for reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).[9] The organization has also drawn attention to rising drug prices[10][11] and expressed support for measures to ban surprise medical bills.[12][13] Families USA published a report on healthcare inequities and proposed payment reforms in July 2018.[14] In May 2019, the organization was one of the founding members of the Consumers First health alliance to end surprise medical bills, among other initiatives.[15]
Families USA's advocacy supported the addition of "no surprise billing" provisions into the
2021 United States federal budget.[16][17][18] As part of this effort, Isasi testified in Congress advocating for the measure in April 2019.[19][20][21]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Families USA released research finding that 32 percent of COVID-19 deaths through August 31, 2020, were related to a lack of sufficient health insurance.[3] The organization also released research, shared by PBS NewsHour, finding that approximately 5.4 million U.S. workers were uninsured after losing their jobs between February and May 2020.[22] In early 2021, Families USA worked to address barriers preventing
BIPOC from getting vaccinated.[23]
In late 2021, Families USA advocated for Medicare to include dental care as part of a budget bill in Congress at the time[24] and argued against means testing for access to dental benefits.[25] The organization also advocated to make health insurance premiums more affordable[26] and to address the
Medicaid coverage gap in states that did not opt to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act.[27]
Partly done: I created a section called "overview and advocacy" as the initial statements show what the organization is known for. I also moved the relevant information from the history section to the new once. I only implemented part of the requested content as Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate list so we do not list out every initiative the organization has been involved in.
CNMall41 (
talk) 01:59, 15 April 2024 (UTC)reply