Oct. 12-14: Join the Call-In to Congress to Protect Medicaid
September 14, 2011, updated October 11 -- Medicaid's ability to serve low-income children and adults -- including those with mental illnesses and other disabilities -- is at risk! Your calls helped prevent cuts during the debt-ceiling compromise (see the August 19 Mental Health Policy Reporter), which created the 12-member, bipartisan “super committee.” Charged with developing a proposal by Thanksgiving to reduce the federal deficit by at least $1.2 trillion, the super committee could open the door to harmful cuts to Medicaid.
Please ask Congress to send the super committee a messeage: no cuts to Medicaid!
It is vital that lawmakers hear from you now about the importance of Medicaid to children and adults with mental disabilities. Medicaid cuts would jeopardize critical health care and supportive services, including a range of home- and community-based services, for vulnerable Americans.
What You Can Do
Take advantage of the toll-free number to the Capitol Switchboard (1-866-922-4970), provided courtesy of Families USA, to call your U.S. representative and two senators. If one of your Members of Congress is a member of the super committee, your call is especially important! Please tell them:
- Medicaid Matters! The Super Committee must do no harm to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act! Cutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act would harm millions of Americans, especially children and adults with disabilities, jeopardizing their ability to live integrated and independent lives in the community.
- Medicaid is a major driver of economic growth in the states -- cutting it could severely worsen our already troubled state economies.
- Use a balanced approach to deficit reduction, with fair revenue increases and careful spending cuts that do no harm to vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries.
Resources
Bazelon Center Medicaid Webpage
Families USA Super Committee Profiles
Families USA on Medicaid and the Super Committee