"The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia""The Virtual Center for Independent Living for West Virginia"Home > Advocacy in Action > Defend MEDICAID Now
Update: April 28, 2005
On April 28, 2005, the House and Senate voted to approve a $2.6 trillion budget that cuts Medicaid by $10 billion and other significant cuts in entitlement and annually appropriated programs over the next five years such as cuts in veteran's health care and Agriculture Committee programs that will impact our food stamp program. Education, veteran's benefits, child care, Head Start, after school programs and other discretionary spending programs will be cut more than $200 billion over the next five years.
It is a disappointment this budget passed. However, your phone calls, emails and letters were successful in stopping the initial House budget that contained twice as many cuts in programs for our vulnerable populations. In particular, the House budget threatened at least $15 billion in cuts that would have impacted programs such as SSI, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child support, child care, etc.
Please remember to express your appreciation to your Senators and Representatives that voted against the budget resolution.
To access more detailed information on the budget resolution, please visit the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Web site.
Update: April 25, 2005
On April 25, 2005, the House of Representatives voted 348-72 to instruct the budget conferees to remove all cuts to Medicaid from the budget resolution and establish a bipartisan Commission to study Medicaid reform. House conferees include Representatives Nussie (IA), Ryun (KS) and Spratt (NC).
On Thursday, March 17, 2005, by a bipartisan vote of 52-48, the Senate voted to approve an amendment that would remove $14 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts from the Senate's fiscal year 2006 budget resolution and instead create a commission to study and recommend possible changes to the program.
We must continue to DEFEND Medicaid and make sure that House and Senate leaders do the right thing! Please continue your advocacy efforts and once again contact your legislators. Your message should be:
Please contact your House and Senate leaders:
Senator Robert C. Byrd
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Web Email form: http://byrd.senate.gov/
Senator John Rockefeller, IV
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Email: senator@rockefeller.senate.gov
Representative Allan Mollohan
2302 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-4172
No public Email address available
Representative Shelly Moore Capito
1431 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-2711
No public Email address available
Thanks to all of you who contacted your Senators.
On Thursday, March 17, 2005, by a bipartisan vote of 52-48, the Senate voted to approve an amendment that would remove $14 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts from the Senate's fiscal year 2006 budget resolution and instead create a commission to study and recommend possible changes to the program.
Seven Republicans -- Senators Smith, Chafee, Snowe, Collins, Coleman, DeWine and Arlen Specter joined all 45 Senate Democrats to block the Medicaid cuts.
Senators also approved amendments that would add $5.4 billion for education, $2 billion for health research, $2 billion for community development, $855 million for law enforcement and other first responders, $500 million to combat AIDS worldwide, and $78 million for small-business development.
But the fight is far from over, and we don't have much time before we get to the next step -- the Conference Committee. Now that the House and Senate each have budget resolutions, they'll need to work together to hammer out the differences between those bills. They will then each vote on the Joint Congressional Budget Resolution. Our next task -- keep Medicaid cuts out of the Joint Budget Resolution!
The House budget resolution still includes a $14.9 billion cut - over $7 billion more than proposed by the President - that could result in reductions as high as $20 billion if cuts are not made to other programs. Congress should adopt the Senate's approach and ensure that health care and services for those in most critical need - including people with disabilities, families with limited incomes, our children, seniors, Veterans, and other vulnerable populations who rely on Medicaid. House members need to understand that cutting Medicaid is not going to save money - it will end up costing individuals and society as people's health care needs go unmet. Medicaid is an effective program that must be preserved.
Thank your Senators who voted for the amendment and urge them to tell the Senate leadership and the conferees that they cannot support a Joint Budget Resolution that contains Medicaid cuts. We need all the Senators who supported this amendment, especially the Republicans--Senators Chafee, Coleman, Collins, DeWine, Smith, Snowe, and Specter--to hear that we appreciate their vote and support on March 17, 2005.
Senator Robert C. Byrd
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Web Email form:http://byrd.senate.gov/
Senator John Rockefeller, IV
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Email: senator@rockefeller.senate.gov
Senator Mike DeWine (OH)
140 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Arlen Spector (PA)
711 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Email: arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov
Senator Lincoln Chafee (RI)
141A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Norm Coleman (MN)
320 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Web Email form: coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
Senator Susan Collins (ME)
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Web Email form: collins.senate.gov/low/contactemail.htm
Senator Gordon Smith (OR)
404 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Web Email form: gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm
Senator Olympia Snowe (ME)
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Email: olympia@snowe.senate.gov
Medicaid is health insurance that helps many people who cannot afford medical care for some or all of their medical bills. Medicaid is a state administered program and each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services.
Medicaid eligibility is available to:
In December 2001, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Personal Assistance Services reported:
On February 7, 2005 President Bush released the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2006 which begins on October 1, 2005. The President proposes a range of cuts to social service programs including $60 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years - cuts that would seriously impact the health and long term services of people with disabilities. These cuts could lead to the loss of critical consumer protections that have been necessary over the years to protect and guarantee access to coverage.
Mountain State Centers for Independent Living urges you to help us stop or considerably reduce these cuts!
On March 7th, the House and Senate Budget Committees will mark-up a budget resolution. This will be the first step when Congress will either lock-in a large cut to Medicaid or demonstrate leadership by protecting Medicaid.
For more information on the proposed 2006 federal budget, please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/
Please edit the sample Medicaid recipient letter for your own use
Date:
The Honorable (insert Senator's name) United State Senate (insert address) Washington, DC 20015
Dear Senator:
I understand that President Bush's proposed 2006 budget reflects cuts in my Medicaid coverage.
I am writing to ask you to protect me and my access to stable medical coverage under the Medicaid program. Medicaid is very important to me and cuts would affect my ability to access affordable health care.
(Tell your personal story here - what would happen if you didn't have Medicaid)
I urge you to make me and people like me a priority and vote against cuts to my Medicaid program.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Address
City, State, Zip
For more information on contacting your representatives, please visit Contacting Your Legislators on this Web site.
Updated: June 8, 2005
www.mtstcil.org
