Housing Works AIDS Issues Update: Stop Medicaid Cuts In Senate Budget Resolution: Congress Moves to Consider Budget Resolution -- Deep Cuts in Medicaid Hang in the Balance

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March 10, 2005

Stop Medicaid Cuts In Senate Budget Resolution: Congress Moves to Consider Budget Resolution -- Deep Cuts in Medicaid Hang in the Balance


Sen. Gregg (R-NH)	Rep. Nussle (R-IA)

The chairmen of the House and Senate Budget Committees released their proposals for the Budget Resolution this week, and both proposals call for substantially deeper cuts in the Medicaid program than were recommended by the Bush Administration. The House Budget Resolution calls for $20 billion in Medicaid reductions over five years; the Senate companion proposal calls for $15 billion in reductions over that period. Budget resolutions set broad spending and revenue targets for the coming fiscal year and do not require a presidential signature. However both draft budget resolutions include so-called reconciliation instructions to implement mandatory spending cuts in Medicaid, which would be binding if the final version of the budget resolution contains such instructions.

It is widely believed that the House Budget Resolution will pass easily, and that the opportunity to reduce or eliminate Medicaid cuts lies with the Senate. The HIV/AIDS Community is joining hundreds of organizations that represent Medicaid providers and beneficiaries to call or e-mail their Senators to urge them to oppose cuts to the Medicaid program, and to support any amendment on the Senate floor that eliminates the Medicaid cuts from the budget resolution. Call Today. The Budget Resolution could be on the Senate floor by early next week.

Take Action:

CALL YOUR SENATORS THIS WEEK TOLL-FREE AT (877) 762-8762 AND GIVE THEM A SIMPLE MESSAGE:

"I am calling to urge you to support any amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution that strikes or reduces the proposed cuts to the Medicaid program. Failure to do so will seriously threaten access to life-saving HIV treatment for my patients with HIV/AIDS."

Calls from every state make a difference, but calls are especially needed to the Senators from: Arkansas, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah.

Background:

Medicaid is the single largest source of funding for HIV/AIDS care in America. Many people with AIDS depend on it for access to health care. Deep cuts or caps on Medicaid spending will translate into limits on services that are covered including prescription drugs and eligibility cuts that will result in people with AIDS losing their Medicaid coverage.

Calls from every state make a difference, but calls TOLL-FREE AT (877) 762-8762 are especially needed to the Senators from:

Arkansas

Lincoln, Blanche - (D - AR)

Pryor, Mark - (D - AR)

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Indiana

Bayh, Evan - (D - IN)

Lugar, Richard - (R - IN)

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Maine

Collins, Susan - (R - ME)

Snowe, Olympia - (R - ME)