The U.S. Senate has started their work on the reconciliation bill this week, deciding which parts of the House bill can stay in and which will be removed before their goal of passing the bill on July 4th. All of these negotiations are happening behind closed doors, which means that legislative text and changes might not be made public until the bill is debated on the Senate floor.
This bill will increase the deficit by quite a bit. It cuts federal programs and decreases revenue that the government uses to pay for programs. It will make it harder for individuals to get/stay in programs like Medicaid and SNAP. This bill creates massive budget holes for states, which will mean they’ll either have to cover fewer people, change what benefits they offer, or pay providers less to make up for the lost federal funding. There are currently no protections that guarantee people with disabilities will have the same coverage and help that they are receiving now.
There is still a lot of discussion happening on how these cuts will impact Wisconsin specifically. Updated estimates predict that between 71,000 – 111,000 Wisconsinites will lose their Medicaid coverage, including roughly 3,800 people with disabilities. Wisconsin could be looking at a $501 million to $663 million cut in federal Medicaid dollars. States would also be required to check Medicaid eligibility two times per year instead of once for some people in Medicaid.
Medicaid currently covers more than 1 in 3 Americans with disabilities, providing services in schools, communities, and in homes. Many advocates are worried that these cuts to Medicaid will lead to a loss of services and providers that help so many individuals with disabilities stay in their homes and communities and out of institutions.
As advocates, we can continue to make our voices heard with our Senators. We can continue to share how Medicaid directly impacts us, and what we fear will happen if we lose access to these programs and supports. Below are a list of concrete cuts you can ask your Senators to remove from the bill:
Medicaid cuts to remove:
- Remove the “prove you’re working/exempt” requirements.
- Remove provision requiring multiple Medicaid eligibility checks per year.
- Remove provision that prevents individuals who have lost Medicaid coverage because they didn’t meant “prove you’re working/exempt” requirements from qualifying for subsidies for ACA marketplace plans.
- Remove provision that decreases retroactive coverage from 3 months to 1 month.
We have two Wisconsin Senators that you can reach out to:
- Senator Ron Johnson: 202-224-5323
- Senator Tammy Baldwin: 202-224-5653
There will be an opportunity to hear from a panel of speakers on the impact of Medicaid cuts on unpaid caregivers and why the proposed cuts from Congress are a threat to the crucial support family caregivers provide. This panel will consist of those with professional knowledge and/or personal caregiving experience.