Federal Action on Medicaid Needed Now

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In a message dated 01/30/2004 2:21:56 AM Eastern Standard Time, jayneadler@... writes:

-----Forwarded Message-----From: Families USA <HealthAction@...>Sent: Jan 29, 2004 3:25 PMjayneadler@...Subject: Federal Action on Medicaid Needed NowDear Jayne,As you know, state Medicaid budgets are in trouble again this year.Unless states can get significant help from the federal government,many are likely to make drastic cuts in their Medicaid budgets. Weneed your help NOW to persuade members of Congress that this is asituation that they need to deal with!WHAT YOU CAN DO:1) Contact your state legislators. Ask them to tell members of yourstate's delegation in the U.S. Congress that this is a serious problemand that states need federal help right away. (If you don't know howto contact your state legislators, visit your state page on our Website by clicking herehttp://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=jsPDb1QqUuUDRYvcWDDmjg.. Goto the map at the bottom of the page and click on your state. In thetop section of the page, there will be a link to your stategovernment's Web site. That site should have information on your statelegislators.)2) You can also call or write your members of Congress and ask them toprovide federal fiscal relief for the states. (There is no bill yet.)Here is the simple message: Extend federal fiscal relief to states fortheir Medicaid budgets.To find out how to contact your U.S. Representative, click herehttp://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=Q5kxb_f2w4cDRYvcWDDmjg.. To find out how to contactyour U.S. Senators, click herehttp://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=-o30bOQ52EADRYvcWDDmjg..We need to get a wide range of members to understand the importance ofan extension!BACKGROUND:Last May, Congress enacted legislation that provided states with $20billion to alleviate their budget crises. Approximately $10 billion ofthis money was in the form of a temporary increase in the federalgovernment's share of Medicaid costs. This temporary fiscal reliefexpires at the end of June -- five months from now. Because moststates' fiscal years begin July 1, the fact that this fiscal reliefwill be expiring means that governors and state legislators will haveno additional federal help to include in their budget proposals forfiscal year 2005.Because these extra federal funds will expire before the end of theeconomic crisis that is driving state budget shortfalls, the seniors,people with disabilities, families, and children who rely on Medicaidand SCHIP will have to endure another round of program cuts that makeit harder to get the health care they need.The Kaiser Family Foundation has just issued an excellent new reporton state budget situations. To read "States Respond to FiscalPressure: A 50-State Update of State Medicaid Spending Growth and CostContainment Actions," click here http://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=jnEGtjvjIikDRYvcWDDmjg..The report summarizes how federal fiscal relief helped statestemporarily avoid deep cuts to their Medicaid programs in fiscal year2004. It also points out that the poorly timed end of this financialassistance will cause the highest percentage increase in stateMedicaid costs that states have experienced in many years -- right atthe time that they have the least ability to deal with thoseincreases. This increase will hit the poorest states the hardest.WE CAN DO IT!Advocates and the public must persuade Congress to extend the fiscalrelief for another year. Last year, a strong and vocal coalitionhelped bring about this huge victory. While it will be a tough fightto get another temporary, one-year extension, if we work together toshow the groundswell of support, we think there is a good chance ofwinning.To forward this message to another advocate, click herehttp://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=9GLok8ZYFiwDRYvcWDDmjg..To unsubscribe from all future e-mail, paste the following URL into your browser:http://www.familiesusa.org/site/CO?i=xj3rh4Vkk1rlKrqEEBYmqI8uFizeWeKm A support group for people with ms & their friends & relations. We try & keep informed of developments in ms research & stay abreast of legislative issues that may effect us.