ACTION ALERT: Prevent Drastic Medicaid Cuts!

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Help Prevent Drastic Medicaid Cuts Tell Your Senators to Support an Extension of the FMAP Increase!

SUMMARY: FMAP is one of the most critical funding sources for states across the country and it is used to determine the amount of federal matching funds for state medical expenditures. In 2009, Congress passed a six-month enhanced FMAP, which provided $87 billion to state Medicaid programs. It is vitally important that Congress now approve another six-month enhanced FMAP extension. Otherwise, states will be forced to make very deep cuts in Medicaid programs. Nearly all states are finalizing budgets that begin in July, so it is vital that Congress take swift action.

The Following States have assumed the extension in their FY 2011 budgets: AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, MN, MO, NM, NV, SC, VT, WA. (For more detailed state information, see this analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities)

The House of Representatives removed the extension from its bill. Contact your Senators and urge them to make sure the extension is included in the Senate bill!!

TAKE ACTION:

Call your Senators:

· Visit AUCD’s Action Center http://www.aucd.org/template/capwiz.cfm to find out the name of your US Senators (scroll down and enter your zip code)

· Dial the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at and ask for the office of your Senator

· Ask to speak to the person working on health issues

· Identify yourself as a constituent and the organization that you represent (if any)

Message to Senators: “I am calling to urge Senator _______ to include a 6-month extension of the FMAP increase in the tax extenders package. People with disabilities depend on Medicaid for their very survival. Without an extension of the Medicaid FMAP increase, we will lose vital services.”

Or, email your members of Congress directly using AUCD’s Action Center – just click on FMAP Extension, enter your information and click send.

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