Act Now to Prevent Gutting of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid
The House of Representatives is expected to introduce a bill to cut Medicaid and the ACA Feb. 27 and to begin committee work immediately. The result would be two major blows to individuals with disabilities. Reach out to your Federal and state legislators and the Governor’s Office and tell them that repealing the ACA and replacing it with a plan that CUTS Medicaid is unacceptable. People’s health, services, and lives are at stake! We need advocates to reach out to their Senators and Representatives to let them know why the ACA and Medicaid are essential to people with disabilities and their families.
Message #1: Do NOT per capita cap Medicaid!
Medicaid is a jointly funded program with matching state and federal funds. Under a Medicaid per capita cap, the federal government would set a limit on how much to reimburse states based on enrollment. Unlike current law, funding would not be based on the actual cost of providing services. Much like the proposed block grants, the intent of the per capita caps is to restructure the program, cut federal spending and drastically reduce money going to the states. Inevitably there will be cuts in funding and other negative impacts to Medicaid recipients could include:
- Losing home and community-based services and supports. Waiting lists would quickly grow.
- Losing other critical services such as personal care, mental health, prescription drugs, and rehabilitative services. If funds become scarcer, states may decide to stop providing these services altogether.
- Being forced into unnecessary institutionalization. States could return to the days of “warehousing” people with disabilities in institutions.
- Shifting the costs to individuals or family members to make up for the federal cuts. The costs of providing health care and long term services and supports will not go away, but will be shifted to individuals, parents, states, and providers.
For additional information, see the Arc’s fact sheet about Medicaid.
Message #2: Do not repeal the ACA’s protections for people with disabilities!
The ACA is the most significant law for people with disabilities since the Americans with Disabilities Act:
- Because of the ACA, health insurers can’t deny health insurance if you have a disability or chronic condition.
- Because of the ACA, there aren’t arbitrary financial limits to how much health care you can get in a year or in your lifetime.
- Because of the ACA, more people with disabilities receive supports and live in the community, not institutions.
For additional information, see CCD’s fact sheet about the ACA.
Take Action!
Join us in Albany on Advocacy Day on March 6. Together we can show New York that brain injury is a significant health and social issue that deserves attention. Register Now.
Contact your Federal Legislators Tell them changes to the Affordable Care Act and threats to Medicaid will hurt people with disabilities. Click here for tools to use when contacting your Federal legislators.