ASO ACTION ALERT: Protect Medicaid Services (Federal)

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Information on a legislative issue that we need your help on! This is one of the issues that was highlighted at the ASA Day on the Hill!

For complete information on this alert - provided courtesy of the The Disability Policy Collaboration of The Arc and UCP, which the ASA works in partnership with - click here or visit: http://capwiz.com/thearc/callalert/index.tt?alertid=11164681 The website has an easy link ("Call Now") to get your legislators phone number.

Please - make your voice heard!

Sincerely,

The Autism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...web: www.autismohio.org

* Help Protect Medicaid Services *Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor the Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 (H.R. 5613)

This is the single most important issue for the disability community this year!

BackgroundThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued several regulations which will significantly cut payments to Medicaid providers and services to beneficiaries. The regulations are an attempt to implement the Medicaid cuts proposed in the Bush Administration's Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. Three regulations, which are summarized below, will severely cut services to people with disabilities:

Regulation

5 Year Cost

Status

Description

Changes could impact

Rehabilitation Services(Rehab) Option

$2.3 billion reduction

Proposed: August 2007

Moratorium through June 2008

Would narrow scope of rehab services. See comments to CMS

Day habilitation such as DD skills training and communications skills training

School-BasedAdministration and Transportation Services

$3.6 billion reduction

Final: December 2007

Moratorium through June 2008

Would prohibit all Medicaid payments forschool-based administration and most transportation services. See Comments to CMS

Specialized transportationOccupational therapyPhysical therapySpeech/language therapy

Case Management andTargeted Case Management (TCM)

$1.3 billion reduction

Interim final: December 2007

Became effective on March 3, 2008

Restricts coverage of transitional casemanagement. SeeComments to CMS

Transition from institutional care to the community

How much will the Medicaid regulations cost Ohio? See: Oversight Report and click on Ohio.

Fortunately, Congress has the authority to delay the implementation of regulations through a legally authorized postponement known as a "moratorium." A moratorium gives Congress time to review the regulations closely and propose needed revisions through legislation.

StatusHouse Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Tim (R-PA) introduced the Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 (H.R. 5613) on March 13. The bill would provide a 1 year moratorium on the regulations, prohibiting CMS from taking action to implement them until April of 2009. A Senate companion bill is expected to be introduced soon.

Take ActionPlease call your Representative during the Congressional Recess between March 17 to 28. Call your Representative at his/her local Congressional District office (number provided when you click on Call Now) and ask them to support HR 5613 - the Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 . Passage of HR 5613 will depend greatly on how many people he/she hears from.

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