Tell Congress: Hands off Medicaid!
· Huge cuts to Medicaid are pending: The
budget resolution that passed the House with no Democratic votes directs the
Energy & Commerce Committee to cut federal spending by $880 billion in
ten years – almost all of which would have to come from Medicaid.
· The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion
is on the chopping block: The ACA provides Medicaid to 21 million poor
and near-poor adults (550,000 in our state). House Republican leadership
has made it clear that they intend to eliminate dedicated federal funding
for the ACA Medicaid expansion – a $650 billion spending cut.
· Uninsuring millions: If the federal 90%
contribution for “expansion” enrollees is eliminated, no state will be able to
afford to maintain the expansion. Based
on past estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, 15-20 million people
will lose coverage.
· Republicans are lying about their plans: Republican
leadership, and on-board representatives like Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-7), say that they
will “protect” Medicaid for children, seniors and the disabled and only cut
“waste, fraud, and abuse.” In Republican-speak, “waste” means coverage for
low-income adults.
· Say no to work requirements: Republicans
also aim to make all states impose “work requirements” on most adult Medicaid
enrollees – though the vast majority of non-disabled enrollees either work or
are caregivers or students. Work
requirements have been tried – and the red tape drives eligible Medicaid
recipients off the rolls in droves – as Republicans intend.
Take Action
· Contact NJ’s Republican House Reps: Tell
them Hands off Medicaid! Preserve the ACA Medicaid expansion. Say no to
work requirements.
Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2) -- (202)
225-6572 or ( 609) 625-5008
Chris Smith (NJ-4) – (202)
225-3765 or (732) 780-3035
Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-7) -- (202) 225-5361 or (908) 547-3307
Van
Drew and Smith, both of whom would prefer not to cut Medicaid, are receptive to out-of-district calls; Kean, not so much.
