Access Living friends and allies,
This past weekend, the Senate released their version of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB). Contrary to its name, the Senate’s bill would take a sledgehammer to critical services that support independent living for people with disabilities. Cuts include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), accessible housing, consumer protections, and so many other important programs. The OBBB makes the following cuts to Medicaid and SNAP:
- Implement “cost neutrality” to restrict needed increases SNAP benefits
- Increases in work requirements that will cause millions to lose access to food
- Removes SNAP work requirements exceptions for veterans and the homeless
- Potentially slashes home and community-based services with waiver capacity limits and redefinition of covered services
- Increases the frequency of redetermination which will cause people to “churn” off Medicaid
- Effectively ends Medicaid expansion in 5-10 years
- Halts nursing home protections and standardization, which will impact people with disabilities in institutionalized settings
Make no mistake: These cuts WILL harm people with disabilities. Even if supporters claim otherwise, increased paperwork, bureaucracy, and hoops ALWAYS mean less services for people with disabilities. Any claims otherwise are simply FALSE.
What happens next? OBBB is currently going through “Vote-a-rama” when Senators can propose an unlimited number of amendments on budgetary matter. Vote-a-rama’s allow the minority party in the US Senate (Democrats) to stall / delay the process and voice opposition to major budgetary bills. This process has no end time and can occur for hours. We need to keep up the pressure to oppose any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Cuts will only harm everyone. Please continue to contact Illinois Senators using, contact this link TODAY! We MUST protect Medicaid and SNAP. The time to act is NOW.