Action Alert: Tell Congress to SAY 'NO'...

[Guest guest]

Will Hawke wrote:

Action Alert: Tell Congress to SAY 'NO'...

Action Alert: Tell Congress to SAY 'NO' to any Medicaid/Medicare

budget changes that hurt people with disabilities

Call Congress toll-free: 1-

Having Trouble finding your Member of Congress? Go to http://ga3.org/familiesusa/leg-lookup/search.html.

(Thanks to Families USA for the Hotline and Congressional Lookup)

Background: Though the disasters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita delayed budget reconciliation, a backlash is now under way. Claiming that spending cuts are vital to keep the deficit in check while paying for the response to the hurricanes, some in Congress are demanding even deeper budgetary cuts in many of the mandatory and discretionary programs that serve persons with disabilities than were initially planned!

Despite the critical role these programs are playing in meeting the needs of survivors of Katrina and Rita, Congress is now likely to try to impose cuts in Medicaid and Medicare that significantly exceed the $10 billion over 5 years originally agreed to in the Budget Resolution earlier this year!!! Later this year, these cuts may be compounded by across-the-board reductions of as much as 2% for discretionary spending, including Centers for Independent Living, housing, transportation, assistive technology and other services and supports that persons with disabilities rely upon.

Time is of the essence! The SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE is expected to mark up its Medicaid/ Medicare reconciliation package Wednesday, October 19th and the HOUSE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE is expected to consider its package next week.

NCIL is very concerned with the outlines of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's approach. The House proposal reportedly resembles the recommendations of the National Governors' Association. Here's what we believe is wrong with these proposals:

>IMPOSING and ENFORCING unaffordable increases in cost-sharing Home-heating and other energy related costs are soaring. Congress is also considering proposed mandatory cuts in other areas that may lead to cuts in funding for food stamps, SSI and other key income support programs. Yet, early versions of the House Reconciliation bill would impose substantial increases in cost-sharing on Medicaid beneficiaries, and make co-payments enforceable - meaning that states could DENY people the medications they require. One example of how this could be done is by increasing "tiered" co-payments for prescription drugs.

>Allowing states to terminate coverage of some health services for some populations. In the name of giving the states and governors more flexibility to manage their benefits packages, states may be given the discretion to reduce the benefits they offer to non-mandatory populations. People with disabilities and chronic conditions who are not on SSI, are not receiving Medicare, and are not institutionalized would be at risk of having their benefits scaled back and made to resemble SCHIP or private insurance plans that may be inadequate to their needs. NCIL strenuously objects to any such proposals, which we believe would also further aggravate the institutional bias. And, as we all know, institutionalization is more expensive than home and community based services. So such changes would be "penny-wise and pound-foolish!!!"

> Eliminating procedural protections that safeguard the rights of Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities.

OUR MESSAGE TO CONGRESS IS SIMPLE: We believe Medicaid needs to be improved. But NCIL rejects any proposal that would curtail Medicaid expenditures at the expense of beneficiaries with disabilities by increasing cost sharing, eliminating essential benefits and/or undermining vital procedural protections of beneficiaries with disabilities as unacceptable.

Congress must not allow the tragedies that have befallen many Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities in Missouri and Tennessee to be repeated and compounded nationwide in the name of "flexibility"! Instead of pursuing misguided policies based on misplaced priorities, Congress should pass legislation THIS YEAR to expand cost-efficient home-and-community-based services, such as Money Follows the Person [s 528/ HR 3063], Section 201 of S 1602, and MiCASSA [hr 910/ S 401].

This email is sponsored by LogistiCare, Inc.

Headquartered in Atlanta, LogistiCare is the nation's leading provider of specialized transportation network management. The company's government clients include state Medicaid agencies, school boards, transit and paratransit authorities. Health care sector clients include hospital systems and many of the nation's largest managed care organizations.

With its market innovation, proprietary software, and proven record of creating budget stability and program integrity, LogistiCare is well known as the leader in improving non-emergency transportation programs. On an annual basis, the company manages a national network of more than 700 transportation companies that deliver more than 13 million trips to customers annually. For more information, visit www.logisticare.com.

Disability Relations Group

12552 Belcher Rd. S.

Largo, FL 33773

Voice:

Fax:

drg@...

We are on the Web!! Come visit us at:

www.drgglobal.com

Disability Relations Group is a global disability relations image and policy facilitation firm. Its clients range from small community nonprofits to Fortune 500s all wishing to better their relations with the disabled and elder communities. It works not only in the areas concerning general issues related to disability and elder concerns, but also specializes in the areas of accessible voting, technology and transportation.

Important Note

The above information is provided as a service and is not necessarily the opinion of Disability Relations Group or its management, members, sponsors or clients.

Unsubscribe information:

If you would like to be removed from future mailings please send email to drg@... and type REMOVE in the subject line or write us at 12552 Belcher Rd. S., Largo , Fl 33773

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: 10/21/2005

Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.