Stop disastrous Medicaid cuts! Contact your Senators and tell them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment


I am writing today to ask you to please contact your state's U.S. senators and tell them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike the $15 billion in Medicaid cuts from the budget resolution and create a bi-partisan Medicaid Commission. I do this today because I am Medicaid beneficiary — a beneficiary of the sort that most people don’t think of when they think of Medicaid recipients. These nationwide cuts — along with the cuts proposed by New York’s Governor Pataki (eliminating, among other things, all mental health coverage, all dental coverage, all vision coverage, all podiatry) — would make my life unbearable. I write today in excruciating pain, but at least I am able to sit at my computer. Were it not for the health care and other services I receive under Medicaid, I would be bedridden and would need to be cared for either by a home health aide or in a nursing home. That would cost Medicaid a hell of a lot more!

I am writing to ask you to please support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike the $15 billion in Medicaid cuts from the budget resolution and create a bi-partisan Medicaid Commission.

I am writing to you as a Medicaid beneficiary — a beneficiary of the sort that most people don’t think of when they think of Medicaid recipients.

As I say in the attached audio file, a recording of the speech I gave at the Medicaid Matters Forum in Rochester on Saturday, I come from a middle class background. I am educated. In fact, I have a Ph.D. I am a college professor. I used to teach full time at SUNY Brockport. I am currently able to work only part-time because of my various disabilities, and for several years was unable to work at all.

These nationwide cuts — along with the cuts proposed by New York’s Governor Pataki (eliminating, among other things, all mental health coverage, all dental coverage, all vision coverage, all podiatry) could drastically change my life. In fact, these cuts would make my life absolutely unbearable, because there is no way I could pay for the services and health care I would need to treat my numerous diagnoses (which are multiplying by leaps and bounds now).

I write today in excruciating pain, but at least I am able to sit at my computer. Were it not for the health care and other services I receive under Medicaid, I would be bedridden and would need to be cared for either by a home health aide or in a nursing home. That would cost Medicaid a hell of a lot more!

Moreover, I would be unable to work at all, and therefore would not be contributing to Social Security.

I have attached below a Quicktime movie file, which contains an audio recording of the speech I gave at the Medicaid Matters Forum in Rochester on Saturday — where, as it turns out, the only media representative present was a cameraman from R-News (Time-Warner’s local news, on cable) — no reporter. The only legislator present personally was NYS Assembly member David Koon (who is already on our side) and a representative from NYS Assembly Member Joe Errigo’s office. (All local NYS legislators were invited.)

I can only assume that the legislators don’t care. They don’t care because they probably knew the media would not be there to note their absence. So YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM CARE!

Of course, I am hardly the only person who would be affected by cuts in Medicaid coverage. In fact, my case is hardly even close to the worst. The stories I heard on Saturday included stories about people who died because they were unable to get the health care they needed even under the current system. These deaths were entirely preventable and unnecessary.

Even if you yourself are not personally affected by Medicaid cuts, the person who is hurt by them could be your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your aunt, your uncle, your cousin, your child, your neighbor, your friend.

So please, even if you have never taken political action before, take action on this issue.

You can go to the U.S. Senate website to find out how to contact your state's U.S. Senators.

You can also do this by making a TOLL-FREE CALL. (See information below.) However, chances are you will find this number busy.

Here is the information you need:

Stop $15 Billion In Medicaid Cuts

The House and Senate will vote on the FY 2006 budget resolutions during the week of March 14, 2005.  As of now, there is little hope to remove devastating cuts from the House budget resolution, therefore Medicaid advocates have to make sure the Senate version has the smallest possible cut.

That is why the Smith-Bingaman amendment striking down the cuts is so important.

The Smith-Bingaman amendment may be considered and voted on as early as Tuesday, March 15, 2005.   All Senators must be contacted.  We cannot take any vote for granted.   

1. Call toll free 1-800-828-0498.  This number will connect you to the Capitol switchboard. Ask for your Senators office and then tell them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment.  After you call one of your Senator’s offices, call back and reach your other Senator’s office. If the toll-free line is busy, call back again.  This toll-free line will be available until the vote on the Smith-Bingaman amendment occurs. 

2. Contact your Senators by e-mail using the sample letter and urge them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment.  Send this sample letter even if you have written to your Senators in the past 2 weeks about Medicaid.

3. Forward this information to at least 5 of your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers or fellow advocates and ask them to call and e-mail their Senators.  

Remember that all Senate offices keep track of the numbers of calls and e-mails they receive on each issue.

Sample Letter:

Dear Senator:

Please support the Smith-Bingaman amendment to strike the $15 billion in Medicaid cuts from the budget resolution and create a bi-partisan Medicaid Commission. Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of children and adults with disabilities and their families. It provides critical health care and long term services and supports.

Congress should carefully consider any changes to the Medicaid program and not hastily adopt drastic cuts which would harm Medicaid beneficiaries. People with disabilities are among the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. They are counting on you to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment.

Thank you.
Signed by:

Your Name
Your Address

And thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Quicktime attachment here (if you don't have the Quicktime plug-in, go here to download it (PC or Mac):


Posted: Mon - March 14, 2005 at 02:18 PM          

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