Fifteen years ago this month, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law – a historic milestone for our country. Thanks to the ACA, over 45 million people gained health insurance coverage, and millions more gained peace of mind, knowing they couldn’t be denied care for a pre-existing health condition. This month is also personal for me: it marks five years since I published Marching Toward Coverage, my book about why activism matters – and why we must keep marching.
Today, the need for activism is even more urgent.
The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are making clear their intent to cut back on health care coverage, by seriously reducing funding for the Medicaid program and the ACA subsidies. If it’s giving you déjà vu, you’re not alone. It’s starting to feel like 2017 again: Trump newly elected, a Republican-controlled Congress, and fear rippling through communities across the country.
But here’s the thing – 2017 turned out to be a landmark year for activism. It was the year I marched in Washington, D.C., alongside millions of others across the country and around the world. That moment inspired me to write Marching Toward Coverage. And it inspired so many people to act: showing up at Congressional town halls, flooding Congressional phone lines, sharing stories on social media. There was a collective outcry about the harshness of the proposed healthcare cuts. Together, we pushed back, and it worked. Medicaid was saved. The ACA survived. Democracy prevailed, despite Trump’s claims to the contrary. We turned fear and anger into action and reclaimed our power.
Not only did we protect these programs, we built on them. ACA subsidies increased. Medicaid expanded in nine more states. These programs became lifelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lives were saved because people had access to care, and that should never be up for debate again. Health care isn’t a privilege – it’s a right.
Now, the fight is back. And so are we.
Eight years later, we’re stronger, wiser, and more organized than ever. It’s go-time, and here’s how we rise:
- Rally on April 5th. Over 100 organizations are coming together to sponsor “Hands Off” rallies in every state. It’s time to show up and demonstrate for what you believe in, including healthcare!
- Join Indivisible. Republicans hold just a 3-seat majority in the House. At least 8 of those seats are vulnerable in 2026, and they’ll respond to pressure this year. Let’s make sure they hear from us.
- Support the elected officials who are fighters, like the Democratic state attorneys general taking Trump to court and blocking his worst actions. In Massachusetts, that’s Andrea Campbell. It also includes members of Congress like Senators Warren and Markey, and Congresswomen Clark, Pressley and Trahan. They’re leading the charge, and they need our support.
- Strengthen grassroots organizing, which is core to democracy building. I belong to a group called Health Care Leaders for Democracy, and we raise money for the Movement Voter Project, which funds grassroots organizations who mobilize voters in swing states.
Don’t underestimate your power.
Activism works, and it heals. It connects us, lifts us up, and reminds us that we’re not alone. In hard times, it’s a salve. In all times, it’s a force. And always, it’s how we build the future. In Marching Toward Coverage, I called on women to lead the charge toward universal health care. Women are often at the forefront of change — we are needed now more than ever. The future of health care depends on what we do, together, right now.
Let’s rise again —louder, stronger, more united than ever.
Join me!
In solidarity,
Rosemarie
Pictured from left to right: Attorney General of Massachusetts Andrea Campbell (photo 1); Lori Trahan, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District, Katherine Clark, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 5th Congressional District, Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District (photo 2); Lori Trahan, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 3rd Congressional District (photo 3); and Ayanna Pressley, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District (photo 4).