[NYAPRS Enews] Bazelon: Urge the House Not to Cut Medicaid, Other Crucial Services

[Harvey Rosenthal]

Say "No" to House's Cuts to Medicaid and Other Crucial Services for
Struggling Americans

House Votes This Week: Please Call Now

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law  May 8, 2012

 

The U.S. House of Representatives has scheduled a vote this week on a
bill that would deeply cut domestic programs in order to avoid the
across-the-board cuts Congress and the president agreed to last year in
the Budget Control Act
<http://www.bazelon.org/What-You-Can-Do/The-Reporter/8-11Policy-Reporter
.aspx> . Under that law, across-the-board cuts (called "sequestration")
would be made in 2013. The Sequestor Replacement Reconciliation Act of
2012, now being considered by the House, would cut billions of dollars
from programs that assist low-income Americans. It would, among other
things, allow states to cut Medicaid, repeal the Social Services Block
Grant eliminating all its funding, and repeal the Prevention and Public
Health Fund established under the Affordable Care Act.

This bill is not a fair and balanced approach to reducing the nation's
deficit. What is worse, these cuts target people with disabilities and
many other marginalized Americans. But you can help!

 

What You Can Do

Please call your U.S. Representative (
<https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml> identify yours here
<https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml> )
<https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml>  and ask her/him to
vote NO on the Sequestor Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 on the
House floor this week. Use the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Bill-in-Brief

The Sequestor Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 would implement the
House Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution
<http://www.bazelon.org/What-You-Can-Do/The-Reporter/4-9-12-The-Reporter
.aspx#_Ryan_Budget__Redux:_House_Passes_Harmful_Proposals_to_Key_Federal
_Programs>  (H.Con Res. 112) which directed six House Committees to make
billions of dollars in spending reductions over the next decade. Among
other things, the bill:

*	Eliminates the Prevention and Public Health Fund (authorized by
the Affordable Care Act), which expands the reach of important mental
health programs including suicide prevention efforts and primary and
behavioral health care integration
*	Repeals the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program
(CHIP) Maintenance of Effort requirement that prevents states from
cutting Medicaid eligibility prior to the date when the Affordable Care
Act becomes effective (in 2014 for adults and 2019 for children)
*	Repeals the Social Services Block Grant (Title X of the Social
Security Act), which funds important support services that help adults
and children, including those with disabilities, avoid inappropriate
institutional care and funds vital transitional services for youth 

 

Resources

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

*	House Budget Bills Would Target Programs for Lower-Income
Families While Breaking Last Summer's Bipartisan Deal
<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3767> : Package Would
Enable Defense Funds to Be Set Above Agreed-to Caps, While Non-Defense
Discretionary Funds Are Cut Nearly As Much As Under Sequestration
*	Medicaid Maintenance-of-Effort Requirement Does Not Stop States
from Fighting Fraud <http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3511> 
*	House Bill Would Cut Medicaid Funding for Puerto Rico by About
$5.5 Billion Through 2019
<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3757> 
*	Eliminating Social Services Block Grant Would Weaken Services
for Vulnerable Children, Adults, and Disabled
<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3765> 

 

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