Protestors hold 'die-in' at Dunnavant's office

Several dozen affordable healthcare advocates held a "die-in" in front of Virginia Senator Siobhan Dunnavant's Henrico County medical office at Henrico Doctors' Hospital today, urging Dunnavant to support the expansion of Medicaid in the state.

The event was organized by Progress Virginia, an advocacy group that promotes what it terms "progressive values" statewide. The group cited a 2012 report by Families USA that claimed as many as 11 working-age Virginians die each week because they do not have health insurance and that most of those deaths came from illnesses that could have been treated easily if caught earlier.

The state Senate will reconvene May 14 to discuss Medicaid expansion proposals. The issue largely has been divided along party lines for years, with Democrats supporting expansion and Republicans, including Dunnavant, opposing it. Several prominent Republicans this year have indicated they might support expansion, though.

“I’m worried about my daughters and their children scrambling while working part-time jobs and taking care of their children. When they get sick, they can’t go to the doctor,” said protestor Sherleen Bright from SEIU Virginia 512.

“Senator Dunnavant is blocking access to affordable health care to hundreds of thousands of Virginia families,” said Anna Scholl, Executive Director of Progress Virginia. “As a medical professional, Sen. Dunnavant should understand more than anyone else that Virginians desperately need Medicaid expansion. Instead, Sen. Dunnavant is playing politics with the well-being of 400,000 Virginians and putting their lives in danger.”