Fw: RECESS? Not for Advocates! The Fight to Protect Medicaid Continues!

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RECESS? Not for Advocates! The Fight to Protect Medicaid Continues!FYI

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

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RECESS? Not for Advocates! The Fight to Protect Medicaid Continues!

RECESS? Not for Advocates! The Fight to Protect Medicaid Continues!

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After a long and unusually arduous process, Congressional leaders

and President Obama reached a deficit reduction and debt deal in time to avoid

defaulting on the Nation's debt. Your work to convince legislators to protect

Medicaid in the short term made a difference! Now, we must redouble our efforts

as more grave threats lie ahead.

What's in the deal?

On August 2nd, President Obama signed a bill into law to raise the

debt ceiling and place spending caps on discretionary programs, reducing

spending by $1 trillion over ten years. These cuts must be balanced between

defense and non-defense spending, which could include important

disability-related programs like housing, education, employment, and

transportation. Entitlement programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social

Security, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are protected from cuts in

this first step. Over the next two months, committees in Congress will finalize

what programs bear the brunt of the cuts.

What's next?

This fall, Congress is charged with cutting an additional $1.2 to

$1.5 trillion from the federal budget over 10 years. This will be initiated by

a twelve-member bipartisan Congressional " super committee " (Joint Select

Committee on Deficit Reduction) that proposes specific spending cuts by November

23rd. The Committee's plan must get the support of at least 7 of its members to

be voted on by the full Congress. Congress will then hold an up-or-down vote,

with no amendments allowed, on the spending cuts legislation by December 23rd.

Cuts to important disability-related discretionary and entitlement programs,

like Medicaid, could be proposed by the Committee and enacted by Congress.

If this committee fails to obtain agreement from at least 7 of its

Members to cut $1.2 trillion or if Congress fails to enact it, then automatic,

across-the-board spending cuts will be triggered for 2013-2021. However, any

automatic, across-the-board cuts would exempt the low income entitlement

programs, such as the Medicaid and SSI programs. Small Medicare cuts are

allowed but will fall on the providers.

What does this mean for the Medicaid lifeline?

Medicaid and other programs that serve people with I/DD are still

extremely vulnerable to cuts. The Arc is deeply concerned that the next

proposals in this process could include significant cuts to Medicaid.

What can I do?

Right now, Members of Congress are home on recess until September.

With Members of Congress in their districts, reading their local newspapers, we

are asking you to write letters to the editor to share your story. Tell your

Members of Congress " Don't Cut Our Lifeline! "

Find your local newspapers that take letters to the editor, and

submit one today!

What should I include in my letter?

. Medicaid is our lifeline to services and supports.

. Medicaid and other programs that serve low-income people must be

protected in deficit reduction plans.

. Increased revenues must be part of any deficit reduction agreement

to ensure that the budget is not balanced on the backs of people with I/DD.

. Share your story!

. Don't Cut Our Lifeline!

Need a sample to guide you?

Newspapers often have a word limit for letters to the editor. This

letter shows you how to weave a personal story into a short, 150-word letter.

To the Editor:

Now that Congress is moving forward on further cuts to balance the

budget, it must not be done at the expense of people with disabilities.

My teenage son has autism and a debilitating connective tissue

disorder. Medicaid is lifeline for our family. Thanks to Medicaid, he receives

health care and long term services when I'm at work and unable to support him.

It pays for his medications, surgeries, and therapies to stay healthy and his

personal care services to stay safe.

Without Medicaid, I would have to quit my job and go on public

assistance or else place my son, against his will, in an institution where he

would be isolated and lose many of the skills he is now developing. I believe

the United States is better than that. Congress should be able to find a

balanced budget solution without jeopardizing effective, essential programs like

Medicaid.

-- Guzman, Chapel Hill, NC

Finally...

The August recess is often when Members of Congress hold town hall

meetings. Be on the lookout for these opportunities to ask your elected

officials questions about their views on Medicaid and deficit reduction. We

will be providing more information soon on how to advocate at a town hall

meeting.

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