Please call the key Senators below and your State Senators ASAP In a message dated 7/26/2010 7:27:36 A.M. Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
An important action alert to help DEFEND OUR FREEDOM... Call NOW!!!! ________________________________ From: Rahnee Patrick [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:16 AM Subject: URGENT! Action Needed Before Friday, July 30 Stop Home Care Cuts in your State! Call key Senate Republicans to wish them a happy ADA anniversary... and ask them to help DEFEND OUR FREEDOM! Today is the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act but are YOU satisfied with your state's home services? Right now, Congress is holding onto millions of dollars to pay for our in-home services by not extending the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages or FMAP. Take control of YOUR home services! Tell Congress to act now and extend more Medicaid funding until June 30, 2011 for people with disabilities across the nation! Taken from: _http://www.n4a.org/advocacy/alerts/?fa=view-article&id=637_ (http://www.n4a.org/advocacy/alerts/?fa=view-article&id=637) Action Requested: Call Your U.S. Senators in DC. You can reach them through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Or you may wish to use this toll-free number 888-340-6521 provided by AFSCME. à Message: “I ask the Senator to support the six months of extra Medicaid help to states in the “extenders” bill and support the bill when it comes to a vote. Over thirty states have assumed the six-month extension of the Recovery Act FMAP increase in their budgets. If the extension is not approved by Congress, these states will be forced to reopen their budgets and make deeper cuts to Medicaid and other programs, including dramatic layoffs. This relief is essential to prevent harmful cuts to vital Medicaid programs and other home and community-based services for seniors in our state.” Need More *Call these key Republicans: * Senator Mitch McConnell Phone: (202) 224-2541 * Senator Olympia Snowe Phone: (202) 224-5344 or Toll Free: (800) 432-1599 * Senator Ben Nelson Phone: (202) 224-6551 * Senator Susan Collins Phone: (202) 224-2523 Call like your freedom depends on it, because it does. BACKGROUND ON FEDERAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PERCENTAGES (FMAP) Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) are the percentage rates used to determine the Federal matching funds rate allocated annually to certain state level medical and social service programs. The current rate has a temporary increase due to funds from the stimulus act. We would like to see this increased rate continue through June 30, 2011. Funds that are eligible for FMAP match include Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expenditures, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Contingency Funds, the Federal share of Child Support Enforcement collections, and Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund. The Senate has failed so far this year to pass legislation that extends the payout of FMAP funds according to the current levels. Many states have already created FY11 budgets that include expected FMAP payments at the current level. These payments are significant. For example, Illinois expects $750 million in FMAP payments while Pennsylvania awaits $850 million. Michigan may lose $560 million. California will lose $2.5 billion. (Search Google News for FMAP and your state to see the latest news stories.) Several Governors have already jointly and individually spoken publicly to Congress about the need for an FMAP extension. Many of these governors are from states experiencing state budget crises. Without FMAP payments, people with disabilities and others who rely on Medicaid services will see many of those services greatly reduced or simply disappear. The latest effort to pass an FMAP extension was in the form of language added to the unemployment benefits extension bill. However, in order to pass the bill, the Senate had to cut the FMAP extension part. The reason for this, as far as we know, is due to Republican opposition to an FMAP extension. Those opposing an FMAP extension say that they don't know from where the money will come. The folks supporting an FMAP extension say that community-based services are cheaper and more cost effective than institutionalization. Also, if FMAP is not extended, states will fall into even greater economic turmoil. The human cost due to lost services is of course immeasurable. Time is of the essence in passing an FMAP extension as the Senate is due to recess around August 9. Congress does not technically need to pass anything until December, but state FY 11 budgets obviously go into effect well before then. The uncertainty is stalling budget approvals across the country. The ADAPT Community NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt Community Choice Act List http://www.adapt.org
