[Nfb-greeley] Fw: [Colorado-talk] Action Alert: Medicaid Funding Reduction

Thu Mar 23 00:49:37 UTC 2017

please distribute to others that may be interested.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Lorinda Riddle via Colorado-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 11:18 AM
To: NFB of Colorado Discussion List (colorado-talk at nfbnet.org)
Cc: Lorinda Riddle
Subject: [Colorado-talk] Action Alert: Medicaid Funding Reduction

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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