| Proposed changes to the medical assistance program are
being released at the Federal and State levels. These changes have
potential to impact children with disabilities and their families.
The Medicaid budget battle has reached a critical stage and we really
need your help! There are Medicaid cuts of at least $15 billion in both
the House and Senate budget resolutions. Our only hope of minimizing
Medicaid cuts in the federal budget this year now rests with an
amendment that Senators Smith and Bingaman will offer to strike Medicaid
cuts from the Senate budget resolution. The vote on that amendment the
Medicaid vote of our times could happen as early as next Tuesday. (Background
information on the congressional budget process below.)
WE NEED AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT on behalf of this
amendment.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Call your
Senators NOW Toll-Free: It is critical to get as
many people as you can to call your Senators this week. Urge them to
support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike the Medicaid cuts. To
make that call as easy as possible, weve set up a toll-free
line that goes directly to the Capitol switchboard.
Here's the number: 1-800-828-0498
- After you've called your Senators, click
here to forward this message to as many people as
possiblewe need as many calls to go to Senators as we can get!
The number will remain active through the votewhich could
happen as early as Tuesday, March 15.
- Write a letter to the editor. You can find tips for writing
letters to the editor on our Medicaid
Action Center.
Thank you for all your hard work during this fight!
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD: To forward this message to
a friend or colleague, click
here.
BACKGROUND: This week, the Senate and House Budget
Committees passed budget resolution bills with substantial cuts in
federal Medicaid funding. These cuts were even larger than those
proposed by the President last month. (To learn more about the proposed
Senate and House Medicaid budget cuts, click
here.)
Next, the budget resolutions will go to the Senate and House floors
for a vote. (The floor votes could come as early as next Tuesday, March
15two working days from today.) When the full Senate votes on the
budget resolution, Senator Smith (R-OR) and Senator Bingaman (D-NM) will
offer an amendment to strike the Medicaid cuts. (Click
here to see the press release announcing Senator Smiths
intentions to offer this amendment.) Since theres little hope for
the House resolution, we have to make sure the Senate version has the
smallest possible cut. That is why the expected Senate amendment
striking down the cuts is so important. If the Smith-Bingaman amendment
does not pass, we will have at least $15 billion in Medicaid cuts over
the next five years. Our only hope of eliminating or reducing these cuts
is to pass this amendment!
|
