Don’t Cut Medicaid Services to Californians with Disabilities
Tell Congress: Medicaid is a Lifeline for People With Disabilities!
More than 500,000 Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families rely on Medicaid-funded services and supports throughout the entirety of their lifetime. From early intervention between the ages of zero to three, to therapies provided by their school, to independent living and employment opportunities as adults. Medicaid funds about half of all of these services in California through Medi-Cal.
Congressional Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has published a list of possible spending cuts that include $2.3 trillion to Medicaid, with the largest Medicaid cut coming from “Per-Capita Caps”, which means that the federal government would set a cap on the total services and supports any individual could receive throughout their lifetime. For an individual with a lifelong intellectual or developmental disability, this would be catastrophic.
If Congress and President Trump sign a cut to Medicaid into law, then California would lose hundreds of billions of dollars and would likely be forced into cutting programs funded by Medicaid. So, what are those programs? Here is a quick snapshot of services and supports that would be threatened:
- All regional center services for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families (supported living, supported employment, transportation, day programs, respite, early intervention, group homes, and many more).
- In-Home Supportive Services for people with disabilities and seniors (IHSS).
- Covered health care for people with disabilities, low-income children, pregnant mothers, and other low-income Californians (Medi-Cal).
- All long-term care services, including nursing facilities, prescription drugs, and home and community-based services.
- School services and therapies for children on Medi-Cal, including school psychologists, speech and language therapists, personal care aides, nurses, and more.
Californians with disabilities and seniors are especially vulnerable to cuts to Medicaid because they account for just under half of all Medicaid expenditures in California.
We need our California representatives to speak up for their constituents with disabilities and oppose any attempts by Congressional leadership to pass these draconian cuts. Click . HERE to contact your member of Congress.
SOURCE: The Lanterman Coalition