Access Living friends and allies,
It’s a critical week for Medicaid—which affects your life, whether or not you use Medicaid. Today, we’d like to share an overview of what’s happening with the federal budget bill, where to focus as advocates, and how to take effective action TODAY, TOMORROW, and WEDNESDAY (May 19-21).
What’s going on? Late last night, the U.S. House Budget and Appropriations Committee passed the budget reconciliation bill, which contains many things that should alarm people with disabilities and seniors.
Why is the budget bill bad for people with disabilities and seniors? The bill includes a minimum of $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid over 10 years, in order to help fund $5.5 trillion in tax breaks for wealthy people. If the bill passes, this would be the biggest cut to Medicaid EVER. The bill would take away health care from nearly 14 million people and will especially harm children, seniors, people with disabilities, and poor families.
Which policymakers can do something about this? Every member of the U.S. House is going to have to vote on this. You can use this link to contact your U.S. Representative and ask them to say NO to the budget bill and NO to Medicaid cuts. Also, all members of the House have an important relationship with the Governors of their respective states. So, you can also use this link to contact your Governor and ask them to tell Congress not to pass the cuts to Medicaid, because it will break the backs of state budgets.
We care about Medicaid, but what is Congress REALLY talking about? The hot topic in Congress is work requirements for about 5 million people on Medicaid. These would only be for “able-bodied” people on Medicaid, but there are actually MANY “able-bodied” people with disabilities, caregivers, and older adults. We also know that the two states that have tried Medicaid work requirements—Arkansas and Georgia—failed miserably at it. Not only were thousands of people kicked off Medicaid in those states, but according to this report, implementing work requirements actually end up costing Arkansas and Georgia MORE money.
The fact is, all of us have to teach our members of Congress the truth about how Medicaid is a major foundation of millions of lives. We need Congress to understand that Medicaid is not just about healthcare, but it is about community and economic opportunity as well. People with disabilities and seniors are not just some piggy banks for tax breaks. We are voters, and we can see who stands up for us. The next three days are essential to save Medicaid.
Furious negotiations are now underway because the next step for the bill is to go to the U.S. House Rules Committee. The Rules Committee will meet starting at 1 a.m. on Wednesday this week (you read that right, 1 o’clock in the MORNING). The Rules Committee can make changes to the bill and will establish the rules to govern floor debate. Speaker Mike Johnson has said that he wants to see the full House debate and pass the final bill on Thursday this week. Take action TODAY!