As Tax Day nears, the need to connect more eligible people to Direct File, a new digital tax filing tool from the IRS, is becoming more urgent. Direct File allows eligible taxpayers to file their taxes directly with the IRS securely, quickly, and for free. April 15 is the last day for most eligible filers to use IRS Direct File during this pilot year.
Archives: Voices
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, April 5, 2024
The Medicaid Unwinding Edition. One year ago this week, states were required to begin a process known as “Medicaid unwinding” — determining who on their Medicaid rolls was eligible to remain on Medicaid and who was not. During the pandemic, Congress told states not to do the usual periodic determinations of eligibility, so that people would remain eligible for health care if they contracted COVID-19. But as part of a spending bill passed in December 2022, states were required to resume their eligibility checks. As of the end of March, there were nearly 12 million fewer people on Medicaid, compared to a year before, of whom nearly 5 million were children.
You could save thousands of dollars this 2024 tax season
Tax season has arrived! Between now and April 15, you should plan to file your Tax Year 2023 taxes. Follow our steps below to make sure you don’t miss out on any tax benefits for you and your family.
The future of the Affordable Connectivity Program is uncertain — take action!
The internet is an integral part of our lives in this digital age. Nowadays, we rely on the internet not only for staying in touch with friends and family and entertainment but also for worship, work, health care, and managing our finances.
Who we count. How we count.
The Coalition on Human Needs helps lead Count All Kids, a campaign to improve the count of children in census data, and also advocates to improve how the census counts other communities where many members are missed, such as communities of color. When everyone in a community is counted, the community has more political power, more funding in programs that matter for kids, and better data to manage government programs and to help private sector planning too.
Analysis: During a year of Medicaid unwinding, some states have caused terrible harm, especially to children and people of color
Since April 1, 2023, when states were allowed to terminate Medicaid beneficiaries for the first time since 2020, the “unwinding” of COVID-19 continuous coverage requirements has triggered huge Medicaid losses. Based on data from March 26, 2024, Medicaid covers 12 million fewer people than when unwinding began, including almost 5 million fewer children. Although some who lose Medicaid either return to the program or move to other coverage, historically two-thirds experience a brief or prolonged period without any insurance.
CHN applauds Biden Administration’s new standards for collecting race and ethnicity data
CHN applauds the Office of Management and Budget for the revised Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity released today. These standards will significantly improve our understanding of our country’s diversity. The data collected using these standards will be far more accurate and will be used for everything from redistricting at the federal, state, and local levels, to ensuring equal opportunity and fair treatment for all students, to assessing differences in disease rates and health care for different communities, to ensuring equal access to federally funded programs and benefits.
Care matters. How are the states measuring up?
A new report grades all states plus Washington, D.C. on a range of care policies – and while many are improving, not a single state walked away with an ‘A.’ The report, Care Matters: A 2024 Report Card for Policies in the States, was researched, written, and published by The Century Foundation and Caring Across Generations. It assessed states’ performances across multiple issue areas – child care and early learning, home- and community-based services, paid family and medical leave, paid sick days, fair working conditions for care workers, and family supporting tax policies.
Pull out all your advocate tools for the Child Tax Credit
In his State of the Union address earlier this month, President Biden called on Congress to restore the fully expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC). This version of the CTC is similar but not identical to one enacted for 2021 only and that cut child poverty by more than a third. The President also proposed restoring the 2021 CTC in his FY2025 budget proposal. The President is clearly aware of the transformational impact the 2021 CTC had for millions of children and families. He is right to want it again.
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, March 22, 2024
The FY 2025 budget needs edition. As we write this, Congress is limping along toward what we hope will be final passage of the FY 2024 appropriations bills. Because Congress is almost six months late in completing this process (the FY 2024 year began on October 1, 2023), human needs advocates are preparing to pivot quickly to 2025 spending.
CHN urges passage of FY 2024 appropriations package
Editor’s note: Below is a letter sent on behalf of the Coalition on Human Needs to all members of the House of Representatives, urging a “yes” vote on the package of appropriations bills before them. Update: After the House approved the package Friday afternoon, a second letter urging package was delivered to all members of the Senate. The Senate gave final approval to the legislation early Saturday morning, and it is on its way to President Biden’s desk for his signature.
Will Congress continue to address the digital divide? Millions of Americans are counting on it.
Millions of Americans with low incomes will begin to lose internet access this May if Congress does not renew funding for a popular program aimed at reducing the digital divide between those who can afford broadband access and those who cannot. Since the launch of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) as part of bipartisan infrastructure legislation passed in 2021, the program has signed up an impressive 23 million Americans – the result of an effective outreach effort by the Biden Administration, state and local governments, and community organizers.