Weekend Action to #SaveMedicaid
SUMMARY:
The Senate released its bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, to repeal the Affordable Care Act and to make deep cuts and caps to the Medicaid program. This bill, if it becomes law, would have the biggest and most devastating impact on health and community services for people with disabilities in 25 years. The Senate could pass the bill as soon as Thursday, June 29. If this terrible bill is passed by the Senate, it could easily and quickly be passed by the House and signed into law! AUCD must join in coalition with other disability and civil rights groups in your states to educate Senators this weekend, Monday and Tuesday. Time is of the essence!
BACKGROUND:
The Senate bill continues the deep cuts to Medicaid (by more than $800 billion over 10 years). In addition, Medicaid funding would be allocated based on a per capita cap formula and the growth rate is slower than the House bill (starting in 2025). Like the House bill, the Senate bill ends the Medicaid expansion that covered 11 million people, including those with disabilities. The Senate bill makes it even easier than the House bill to seek waivers of essential health benefits and will lead to the return of annual and lifetime coverage limits.
In sum, the Better Care Act is NOT Better but even worse for people with disabilities and all Americans.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is expected to release its coverage and cost estimates of the bill on Monday. Senators would be irresponsible to vote on a bill next week without analyzing the CBO score and the impact on states and getting feedback from key stakeholders.
Take Action:
Call your Representative/Senator/Member of Congress:
1. Find out where your Senators are this weekend and visit them!
3. Visit state offices, organize rallies, vigils, sit-ins.
4. Call office repeatedly. Dial 866-426-2631 (toll free) and ask for the office of your Senators.
Message: The Senate bill, Better Care Act, would seriously threaten health and home and community-based services and supports for people with disabilities.
· Before taking any action on the Senate bill, please analyze the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates on coverage and cost .
· This bill massively shift costs onto states, which will be forced to either raise taxes and/or severely restrict access to services that help people with disabilities live, work and play in the community.
· Changes to Medicaid should not be made to pay for unrelated health care reform efforts.
· Congress should work in a bipartisan fashion to improve the Affordable Care Act to achieve comprehensive, accessible and affordable health care and long term services and supports for people with disabilities.
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