[NFB-Utah] Weekend Action to SaveMedicaid

[Nfb Utah]

Dear friends and members of the federation:



The Senate released its bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, to repeal
the Affordable Care Act and to make deep cuts and caps to the Medicaid
program.  This bill, if it becomes law, would have the biggest and most
devastating impact on health and community services for people with
disabilities in 25 years.  The Senate could pass the bill as soon as
Thursday, June 29.  If this terrible bill is passed by the Senate, it could
easily and quickly be passed by the House and signed into law! NFB must
join in coalition with other disability and civil rights groups in Utah to
educate our Senators this weekend, Monday and Tuesday.  Time is of the
essence!



*BACKGROUND:*

The Senate bill continues the deep cuts to Medicaid (by more than $800
billion over 10 years).  In addition, Medicaid funding would be allocated
based on a per capita cap formula and the growth rate is slower than the
House bill (starting in 2025).  Like the House bill, the Senate bill ends
the Medicaid expansion that covered 11 million people, including those with
disabilities.  The Senate bill makes it even easier than the House bill to
seek waivers of essential health benefits and will lead to the return of
annual and lifetime coverage limits.

In sum, the Better Care Act is NOT Better but even worse for people with
disabilities and all Americans.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is expected to release its coverage
and cost estimates of the bill on Monday.  Senators would be irresponsible
to vote on a bill next week without analyzing the CBO score and the impact
on states and getting feedback from key stakeholders.

*Take Action:*

Call your Representative/Senator/Member of Congress:

1.       Find out where your Senators are this weekend and visit them!

2.       Call office repeatedly. Dial 866-426-2631 (toll free) and ask for
the office of Senator Hatch and Senator Lee.

*Message:* The Senate bill, Better Care Act, would seriously threaten
health and home and community-based services and supports for people with
disabilities.

·       Before taking any action on the Senate bill, please analyze the
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates on coverage and cost .

·       This bill massively shift costs onto states, which will be forced
to either raise taxes and/or severely restrict access to services that help
people with disabilities live, work and play in the community.

·       Changes to Medicaid should not be made to pay for unrelated health
care reform efforts.

·       Congress should work in a bipartisan fashion to improve the
Affordable Care Act to achieve comprehensive, accessible and affordable
health care and long term services and supports for people with
disabilities.



Please inform me of any interactions with the congressional offices that
you might have that I need to know about.  Please also encourage friends
and family members also to do the same.



Sincerely,

Sachin Pavithran

Legislative Director

National Federation of the Blind of Utah (NFBU)

Phone : 1-435-512 6877 Email : sachin.pavithran at usu.edu

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