[Colorado-talk] Action Alert: Medicaid Funding Reduction

[Lorinda Riddle]

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is asking you to take action to retain critical federal funding to citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  According to Mike Hoover, member on the Council's Legislative and Public Policy Committee:

"I think I need to have you send it (this action alert) out right away.
This bill will harm my life and my job.  Also my caregiver is impacted.  Mom needs to keep Medicare the same and she earned it working 'til retirement."
Mike Hoover, March 20, 2017

ACTION ALERT

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the impacts of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), this federal legislation will significantly impact the federal Medicaid program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).  The CBO report
indicates:
.	Federal Medicaid funding would decrease by $880 billion over the
next decade.

.	By 2026, Medicaid funding would be about 25 percent less than what
is projected under current law. 

These changes are concerning because:
.	Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities are an optional Medicaid service and could be reduced or eliminated by Colorado as competition for diminishing federal Medicaid funding increases.

.	Colorado had planned to eliminate the more than 2,000 person wait
list for HCBS services for people with IDD by 2020.   AHCA legislation will
make this plan very difficult if not impossible to achieve.

.	The Tax-Payers Bill of Rights (TABOR) does not allow for Colorado
tax revenue increases to make up the difference of reduced federal funding. 

According to the Arc of the U.S., "The level of cuts over time would decimate the Medicaid program."  

The U.S House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on this March 23rd,
this Thursday.      ACT NOW!!!      EVERY SINGLE CALL MATTERS!!!

Please call the offices of your two senators and your representative to let them know your concerns.  Phone calls are easy and work best!  
U.S. Senator Cory Gardner		303-391-5777
U.S. Senator Michael Bennett		303-455-7600
U.S. Representative Diana DeGette	303-844-4988 (Denver, District 1)
U.S. Representative Jared Polis	303-484-9596 (Boulder, District 2)
U.S. Representative Scott Tipton	970-241-2499 (Grand Junction,
District 3)
U.S. Representative Ken Buck	970-702-2136 (Greeley, District 4)
U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn	719-520-0055 (Colorado Springs,
District 5) 
U.S. Representative Mike Coffman	720-748-7514 (Aurora, District 6)
U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter	303-274-7944 (Lakewood, District 7)


Please distribute this information widely.  A Word-version attachment of this alert is included for printing purposes.  To verify your Congressional District please use this link:

http://congressional-district.insidegov.com/

Thank you,
Bob Lawhead
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