The President and Congress are talking about making large funding cuts to all State Medicaid programs. Many know that Medicaid funds health care for low-income people. But Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) “waivers” also fund services and supports that allow people with disabilities to to live in their community — not in a nursing home or other institution. Medicaid-funded services like aides are key to enabling AAC users and other people with disabilities to live full lives.
Cutting Medicaid would hurt people who need AAC by limiting these critical services.
Many Members of Congress do not know the essential role of Medicaid in supporting our lives. They need to hear our stories! Please make a difference! Tell your US Representative and Senators and/or your Governor what would happen if you lost your Medicaid waiver services. Write them an email, record and send them a video of yourself, or ask for a Zoom or in-person meeting in your district as soon as possible. Congress is planning to act soon!
Our amazing partners have created tools and resources to make telling your story and staying informed as easy as possible.
MEDICAID ADVOCACY TOOLS AND RESOURCES:
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- Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
- Medicaid Action Alert: explains the issue in plain language and provides a sample email to request meetings, what to say, and key terms
- A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Medicaid: includes an Easy Read version that uses pictures along with text
- Medicaid Webinar Recording: answers: “What is Medicaid and how can we save it — again?”
- Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
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- The Arc of the United States
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- Caring Across Generations
Download in PDF form here.