ANA TALKING POINTS

Urge your Senators to Support

The Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 (H.R. 5613)

The Senate is planning to vote on the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 (H.R. 5613) the week of April 28^th. 

H.R. 5613 would place a moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services.  Taken together, these regulations would jeopardize Medicaid access and services by reducing federal Medicaid funding to the states by nearly $20 billion over the next five years.  Get more background on H.R. 5613 here.

While the bill passed in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, the outcome in the Senate is less certain.  Strong support in the Senate is vital to ensure that the vote could withstand President Bush’s threatened veto.

Call your Senators today—use the talking points below to urge them to vote for H.R. 5613 when it comes before the Senate for a vote.  You can reach your Senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

·         I urge you to vote for H.R. 5613, the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008 when it comes before the Senate.

·         H.R. 5613 would place a moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services that would jeopardize Medicaid access and services by reducing federal Medicaid funding to the states by nearly $20 billion over the next five years.

·         Given the current budget difficulties already facing most states, a cost shift of this magnitude will force states to either pare back on Medicaid services or compensate for the lost funding with severe reductions to other state budget items.  For this reason, the rules stand to threaten access to health care for millions of our most vulnerable citizens. 

·         Taken together, the regulations would disrupt access to Medicaid services provided to children in schools and rehabilitation services and case management services for children in foster care, people with physical and developmental disabilities and people with mental illnesses.  The regulations would reduce federal support for the costs of educating our nation’s doctors, and put new limits on Medicaid payments for hospitals that would cause cutbacks in essential services used by the entire community, such as care for the uninsured, trauma care, and neonatal intensive care. 

·         Medicaid is a key component of the United States health care system. One out of every three births, one out of every four children, eight million disabled citizens, and seventy percent of all nursing home care is funded by this program.

·         Medicaid rolls have expanded over the last five years due to a dramatic increase in the number of Americans lacking health insurance, and in a time of economic downturn, the safety net that Medicaid provides is even more vital.

·         Changes that jeopardize Medicaid have real implications, not just for beneficiaries, but for all members of the community.  It is vital that the implementation of these regulations be postponed until their implications can be thoroughly weighed. 

·         Please support H.R. 5613 TODAY!