Take Action on Medicaid Issue

[Guest guest]

The House of Representatives is set to vote TODAY on H.R. 5613, Protecting the

Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008. It was earlier reported that the bill was not

on the calendar, but the bill is in fact expected to come up for a vote tonight.

While the legislation has broad bipartisan support, and is expected to pass

easily, the President has issued a Statement of Administration Policy indicating

he will veto the bill. Advocates and their supporters are encouraged to contact

their Members of Congress and urge them to vote YES on H.R. 5613, the Protecting

the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008. The following are talking points on the

legislation:

Medicaid is a lifeline for many individuals with autism and their families. It

is the nation ' s primary way of financing and delivering community-based health

and long-term services to children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Medicaid serves nearly 60 million low-income Americans, including an estimated

9.9 million people with disabilities and accounts for an estimated 86 percent of

public spending on developmental disabilities services.

The Bush Administration ' s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

has issued several changes to Medicaid that could have a devastating impact on

Medicaid beneficiaries or the safety net providers that serve them. According to

some estimates, these rules will reduce federal financing for Medicaid by $15

billion over five years.

These changes will shift significant Medicaid costs to states at a time when

the economy is in a downturn and many states are either experiencing declining

revenues-or bracing for revenues to start falling.

H.R. 5613, the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 would impose a

one year moratorium on these and other dangerous regulations, and would allow

Congress time to identify solutions to the problems affecting Medicaid. I

strongly urge you to vote YES on this important legislation.

M. Guppy

My autism journey isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning

to dance in the rain.... Texas Autism Advocacy:

" There are some aspects of a person's life that we have no right to

compromise. We cannot negotiate the size of an institution. No one should live

in one. We cannot debate who should get an inclusive education. Everyone

should. We cannot determine who does and who does not get the right to make

their own choices and forge their own futures. All must. "