DISABILITY ENTITLEMENT AND DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMS AT GRAVE RISK

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Information from the ARC of Ohio on Federal Programs and the budget process. FYI - Please share!

Sincerely,

Barbara C. YavorcikPresidentAutism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...home: byavorcik@...web: www.autismohio.org2005 ASO Bi-Annual Conference"Reaching Beyond the Horizon - Challenging the Autism Spectrum"Friday and Saturday, October 14-15, 2005 Kingsgate Marriott in Cincinnati, Ohio Please note: This is provided for information purposes only. The ASO does not endorse or recommend any providers, methodologies or services. Providing this information should not be construed as an endorsement by the ASO, either explicit or impiled.

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While we battle to preserve services in the Ohio State Budget process, Congress ,in Washington, is debating the federal share of the funding pie.

Medicaid Services in Ohio i.e. Waivers, the ICF/MR program, and Medicaid Card Services such as Dental, Vision and Hospitalization all receive a majority of their funding from Washington. You have been critical in the state budget process. We now need you to contact your members of Congress in Washington!

Remember. The federal budget in Washington pays for approximately 57% of our Medicaid/Waiver services.

Click here to take action http://capwiz.com/thearc/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=7337241

FY 2006 BUDGET RESOLUTION MOVES TO CONFERENCE COMMITTEEMEDICAID AND DISABILITY ENTITLEMENT AND DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMS AT GRAVE RISK

BACKGROUND The Senate and House passed very different FY 2006 Budget Resolutions in mid-March and each are very problematic to the disability community. The Resolutions would make large cuts to entitlement programs and limit total spending for human services discretionary programs to one percent below the current levels. They would also provide for extensive tax cuts that limit federal revenues, thus adversely affecting the federal deficit and forcing legislators to make cuts in human services. Now, the Senate and House must hold conference committee meetings to try to resolve the differences between the bills and refer a final resolution back to their respective houses for a final vote. If successful in adopting a final Budget Resolution, Congressional Appropriations Committees will then make FY 2006 spending decisions on the discretionary programs based on the targets outline in the Budget Resolution. Other committees of jurisdiction (e.g. the Senate Finance and House Energy and Commerce (Medicaid) and Ways and Means) will also need to develop their own bills to adjust the tax cuts and the entitlement spending. A top concern for people with disabilities is the conference committee’s deliberations over Medicaid. So far, the House Budget Resolution calls for $20 billion cuts to Medicaid. The Senate resolution contains no cuts to Medicaid, instead establishing a commission to study the Medicaid program. Aside from Medicaid, both Resolutions call for large cuts to other entitlement programs (House-$49 billion – Senate-$23 billion) that may result in drastic reductions to SSI, TANF, Title XX Social Services, Care and Adoption Assistance and other entitlements. The Senate and House also call for more than $20 billion cuts to non-defense discretionary programs. Numerous human services programs are slated to be eliminated (e.g. Supported Employment State Grants), others are expected to be frozen at current levels and only a few high priority programs may get small increases. The combination of entitlement and domestic discretionary cuts would devastate services, supports and benefits for people with disabilities. The proposed cuts in federal government programs are massive and, as a result, the costs for providing these services is being shifted to the states, a burden that would overwhelm state budgets already experiencing significant shortfalls. Given the vital role Medicaid plays in the provision of health care and long-term community-based supports for The Arc’s and United Cerebral Palsy’s constituents, exempting Medicaid from any cuts or caps is a top priority. It is also critical that SSI recipients not lose eligibility or have their meager cash benefits reduced. Key disability discretionary programs such as special education, vocational rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, and HUD housing must be spared from cuts as well. To accomplish this, we must ensure that the tax cuts proposed in the Budget Resolutions be limited so that balancing the federal budget does not fall solely on the backs of people with disabilities and the much needed human services programs. STATUS Conferees could begin work as early as the first week of April. If successful in achieving a compromise, the budget resolution would then need to be approved by the full House and Senate. ACTION NEEDED If you live in the district(s) and/or state(s) of a conferee, it is imperative that you immediately begin contacting Senate and House conferees on the FY 2006 Budget Resolution via The Arc or UCP Action Center (http://capwiz.com/thearc/home/) or by e-mail, fax or phone. The list of the Senate conferees and the list of likely House of Representative conferees (including their state and party affiliations) are below. If your Senator(s) or Representative(s) are not conferees, we suggest drafting letters or composing your own letter, asking them to share and support your views with the conferees. In either case, you can contact any Member of Congress by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senator’s/ Representative’s office. The following key points should be made in your correspondence with your member of Congress: · Support the Senate version of the Budget Resolution that calls for no cuts to Medicaid. If Medicaid is to be reformed, it should be accomplished after due deliberation, including a Medicaid Commission, Congressional hearings and public input by affected parties. · Support the highest possible funding levels for disability related programs with emphasis on special education, vocational rehabilitation, and housing. · Support the reserve fund to finance the Family Opportunity Act as contained in the Senate Budget Resolution. · Reject tax cuts that are aimed only at the wealthy and that force further cuts to human services in order to lower the projected deficit. Distribute this alert and the sample letters to friends, family and other disability advocates. Thanks for helping! The future of the disability programs and services is on the line. List of Senate Conferees Members of the Senate Budget Committee Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) Sen. E. Grassley (R-IA) Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) Sen. S. Sarbanes, (D-MD) Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) List of Potential House Conferees Member of the House Budget Committee Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA) Rep. Rob J. Portman (R-OH) Rep. Jim R. Ryun (R-KS) Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL) Rep. Wicker (R-MS) Rep. Kenny C. Hulshof (R-MO) Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) Rep. Garrett (R-NJ) Rep. J. Gresham Barrett, (R-SC) Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter (R-MI) Rep. -Balart (R-FL) Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA) Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) Rep. D. (R-WI) Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH) Rep. McHenry (R-NC) Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) Rep. M. Spratt, Jr. (D-SC) Rep. Dennis (D-KS) Rep. E. Neal (D-MA) Rep. DeLauro (D-CT) Rep. Chet (D-TX) Rep. Harold E. Ford (D-TN) Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) Rep. Baird (D-WA) Rep. Jim (D-TN) Rep. Artur (D-AL) Rep. J. Jefferson (D-LA) Rep. H. (D-ME) Rep. Ed Case (D-HI) Rep. McKinney (D-GA) Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz (D-PA) Rep. Ron J. Kind (D-WI)