[Nfb-new-hampshire] IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ: Fwd: GSIL Advocacy Alert

Fri Jul 7 18:15:41 UTC 2017

Hello all
I don't know who can get to this event on Monday, but I am still
circulating the event as it contains important information about the
proposed changes to the American Health Care Act in the Senate (known
as the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017). Please reach out to
your senators (Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen) regarding deplorable
attempt to gut medicaid and set back health care about 10 years in the
country - let alone the state of NH.

Have a good weekend

Andrew Harmon

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ryan Donnelly <rdonnelly at gsil.org>
Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2017 12:26:38 +0000
Subject: GSIL Advocacy Alert
To:

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Granite State Independent Living

Advocacy Alert

July 7, 2017

In This Issue

•       Senator Maggie Hassan Visiting GSIL Monday, July 10th!

Granite State Independent Living

Advocacy Program

21 Chenell Drive

 Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603) 228-9680 or (800) 826-3700

Visit our website at: www.gsil.org<http://www.gsil.org>

E-mail: advocacy at gsil.org<mailto:advocacy at gsil.org>

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Senator Maggie Hassan to Visit GSIL in Concord on Monday, July 10th!

Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is pleased to announce that
U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan will visit its Concord office to hear from
consumers about how the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act –
especially its cuts to Medicaid funding – will impact them.

Next week when the U.S. Senate returns to Washington from its 4th of
July recess it will continue its work to repeal and replace the
Affordable Care Act.

The Senate’s healthcare bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act of
2017 closely resembles the House’s American Health Care Act, and will
result in people losing health insurance, significantly increasing
healthcare costs, and people with pre-existing conditions losing
coverage protections.  But it also makes major changes to Medicaid
that will leave people with disabilities worse off. The bill changes
Medicaid to a per capita cap system, and it slows the growth rate of
the program starting in 2025. This means that Medicaid will start to
experience major cuts immediately, and those cuts will deepen even
more beginning in 2025.   It is estimated that these changes will
translate into cuts totaling around $800 billion from Medicaid.  This
means even less money for states to fund the services and supports
such as personal care services that people with disabilities and many
elderly people require in order to be able to stay in their homes and
communities. The Medicaid caps proposed in this bill and the resulting
cuts can only lead to two outcomes for the disability community:
people being forced into costlier nursing facilities and other
institutions, and people dying because they cannot get the services
they need.

For those who attend, this is a fantastic opportunity to let your
voice be heard by a member of Congress who can help to oppose this
legislation.

The meeting will be held at GSIL’s Concord Office at 21 Chenell Drive
on Monday, July 10th at 9:30am.

If you plan to attend, please kindly RSVP by leaving a message for
GSIL’s Advocacy Director Jeff Dickinson via e-mail at
jdickinson at gsil.org<mailto:jdickinson at gsil.org> or by phone at
1-800-826-3700 x1126.

GSIL consumers who wish to request transportation may contact GSIL’s
Transportation Department to do so.  We look forward to seeing you
there!

Some talking points you may wish to use on Monday:

  *   It is estimated that total federal funding reductions to
Medicaid from the BCRA or the AHCA would total $800 billion.

  *   In a letter to senate leadership Governor Chris Sununu estimated
that  a "per capita cap" on the Medicaid program in the BCRA could
cost New Hampshire up to $1.4 billion in federal funding in just the
first decade.

  *   It is vital that our representatives and senators commit to vote
NO on ANY bill that will cap and cut Medicaid.  Tell them how Medicaid
keeps you alive and independent in the community.

  *   Medicaid is the only health insurance that pays for personal
care services.  These allow people with disabilities to get out of
bed, get dressed, go to the bathroom, etc. so that we can pursue
satisfying careers, earn a living, have homes, participate in and live
in our communities; NOT in nursing homes.

  *   Like the AHCA in the House, the BCRA was written behind closed
doors and has not been adequately debated. Legislation that would
potentially cut $800 billion from Medicaid must be fully considered
prior to being brought to the Senate floor.

  *   The BCRA would make it harder for people with disabilities to
get needed health insurance coverage by allowing insurance companies
to deny them coverage due to pre-existing conditions and waiving
requirements that they offer consumers a standard set of Essential
Health Benefits.

-- 
--
 Andrew Harmon
 First Vice President
 National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of NH
 5 Central Square, Apt. 609 Keene, NH 03431
 Home phone: 603-903-1204
 Cell phone: 603-992-4053
 EMail: andrewjharmon at gmail.com
 "The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
 characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
 expectations of blind people, because low expectations create
 obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life
 you want; blindness is not what holds you back."
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