Republican leaders in Congress are pushing forward legislation that would cut trillions in funding for Medicaid and other programs that older adults rely on to meet their basic needs. The House is planning a vote to fast track these cuts for next week! Now is the time to tell your members of Congress to reject any budget that uses Medicaid and other benefits as a piggy bank to fund tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations and mass deportations. Last week House Republicans marked up a budget resolution that would require Congress to dramatically cut Medicaid. The resolution directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid, to cut a minimum of $880 billion in federal spending. The only way to do this that is by cutting Medicaid. The budget resolution also includes deep cuts to SNAP benefits that would make it even harder for older adults to buy groceries. These massive cuts threaten coverage for over 7 million seniors and 12 million people with Medicare who rely on Medicaid for their health and long-term care needs. Medicaid is a lifeline for older adults. Without it, they could not afford home-based or nursing facility care and would struggle with Medicare’s high out-of-pocket costs. Whether Medicaid cuts come in the form of red tape such as work requirements and stricter eligibility rules, or caps and cuts to federal funding, the result is the same: any Medicaid cut will take away health and long-term care from older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Now is the time to tell Congress to vote no on the budget resolution. Tell them to oppose the budget resolution and any other legislation that would cut Medicaid because seniors will be harmed. Use this call-in line to reach your member of Congress: 866-426-2631. Call-in number provided by SEIU and will remain open for the fight ahead! |
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