Disability advocates are fired up to fight today! Access Living is engaged in both federal and state level work this week. There’s a lot at stake, not just for Illinoisans with disabilities, but people with disabilities across the United States. Here’s what’s going on.
At the federal level, the fight is about Medicaid. Late on Sunday night, Congressional House Republicans released their proposed bill that would make significant changes to Medicaid (as well as changes to energy and environment policy). While the bill avoids some of the very dangerous direct cuts to Medicaid, it still makes changes that could devastate the Medicaid system and take away Medicaid for around 10.3 million people over the next ten years, with 7.6 million of those persons becoming completely uninsured. The bill would also make it more difficult for many hospitals to receive the Medicaid funding they need and those hospitals could close. Additionally, the bill would make it harder to get and keep Medicaid, with new co-pays for medical services.
Make no mistake, the proposed House bill is the largest cut to Medicaid that has ever been proposed. For us, this bill is not a “middle ground.” It’s life or death.
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Disability advocates have been visibly and vocally fighting against this bill. Last week, Caring Across Generations and Little Lobbyists held a 24 hour Medicaid vigil at the U.S. Capitol. On Sunday near the U.S. Senate, activists with ADAPT, AAPD, NCIL and a range of other groups held a Mother’s Day rally against Medicaid cuts. On Monday, ADAPT held a protest outside the offices of the National Governor’s Association, calling on every governor to fight against cuts and changes to Medicaid.
Yesterday, disability advocacy made national news. The House Energy and Commerce Committee began a hearing to deliberate on the proposed Medicaid cuts. Advocates lined up for hours to make it into the hearing room. As the hearing began, ADAPT activists began chanting in the hearing room and moved to block the hearing doors. About 26 people were reportedly arrested and released, and news outlets carried reports of the arrests nationwide. The committee hearing finally did get underway and as of this morning was still meeting, having met overnight nonstop. You can watch the hearing here.
Today, the fight continues—and Access Living is there. Access Living’s President & CEO, Karen Tamley, is at the Capitol today and tomorrow talking to Congress about the tremendous cuts to Medicaid and disability services. In addition to the ongoing Energy and Commerce hearing, a new hearing has begun at this link in front of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. This committee is hearing from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He is expected to speak about his restructuring of his department, as well as other budget related issues (which have decimated dibaility programs). The Secretary will also testify later today in front of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on the same topic. Disability advocates are watching closely, and ADAPT is still in town!
Meanwhile in Illinois, Access Living is also at our State Capitol today. Staff and community leaders will be on hand to advocate for investment in Center for Independent Living funding, as well as calling on our state legislators to take action to avoid the fiscal cliff facing our area transit systems. Access Living also continues to oppose assisted suicide and to advance various bills, such as the Eddie Thomas Act, which is about working to improve access to hospice in Illinois prisons. Our state is facing a lowered budget outlook in addition to potential loss of federal money, so it is important that both our state and federal elected officials understand what is at stake.
Stay tuned this week for more news from the federal level. As the hearings play out, there will continue to be calls to save Medicaid from enormous cuts and changes. Plus, we have to navigate how to protect disability services that rely on state funding. Your support and engagement is more important than ever. Thank you for your advocacy!