PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003

Call Your Governor the week of April 21st
in Support of Medicaid!!

Please join advocates around the country for a national call-in week
urging governors to protect Medicaid from harmful “reform” proposals!

Medicaid is a vital safety net healthcare program for people with HIV/AIDS. It is the largest payer of healthcare services for people living with HIV/AIDS, serving 55% of people living with AIDS and 90% of children with HIV/AIDS.

Earlier this year President Bush announced his Medicaid “modernization” plan. HIV/AIDS and other healthcare advocates immediately denounced the proposal as disastrous for people living with HIV and others who depend on this important safety-net program.

The Bush proposal would allow states to borrow money from the federal government for Medicaid to help alleviate the current fiscal crisis in most states’ programs. But states would be forced to pay the money back through reductions in Medicaid funding in the future. And states that accept this money would have to agree to a Medicaid “block grant,” replacing the federal government’s open-ended commitment of Medicaid funds with a new cap on spending. In other words, if the costs of a state’s program were to increase more than expected (due to a recession, a new epidemic, or a costly new drug, for example), states would not receive additional federal money. This could result in significant barriers in access to treatment and healthcare for those relying on Medicaid.

This proposal was pitched to state governors at a recent National Governors Association meeting in Washington, DC, but was not received with great enthusiasm. However, the NGA formed a “Medicaid Reform Task Force” to work with Congress and the Administration to “strengthen and modernize” the Medicaid program. The task force is being co-chaired by the governors of Kentucky and Idaho, and members include the governors of Florida, Indiana, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, and New Mexico.

It is very important that governors uphold the legal entitlement status of Medicaid, which ensures stable benefits to all who qualify. Governors should also ensure that Medicaid is able to continue to provide the services that make it a viable safety net for those who depend on it, including people with chronic and life-threatening illness such as HIV. Governors can support alternatives for financial relief such as a temporary increase in the federal match rate for Medicaid spending (FMAP) with no strings attached. .

How you can help:
Call your Governor’s office during the week of April 21–25 It is especially important to call if your Governor is a member of the Medicaid Reform Task Force.

Ask your Governor to maintain the entitlement nature of Medicaid and ensure that Medicaid continues to serve people with all the services they need to maintain their health. The Governors should support an increase in federal matching dollars (FMAP) with no strings attached. You can use the following sample language to help craft your message.

Sample Phone Message

“Medicaid is a life-and-death issue for people living with AIDS and HIV. We can’t afford changes that would eliminate lifesaving benefits and services. Governor _____ must urge the members of the National Governors Association’s ‘Medicaid Reform Task Force’ to preserve Medicaid as an entitlement, maintain a strong federal funding match, and resist efforts to cut the comprehensive services and benefits Medicaid now provides for people living with AIDS and HIV.”

**California advocates: please make your calls starting on Tuesday, April 22 to avoid conflicting with the state ADAP lobby day on Monday the 21st**

Contact info:
Below is a list of all 50 governors and their telephone numbers. Governors with an ** next to their name are members of the Medicaid Reform Task Force. You can find homepages for your governors by going to www.firstgov.gov/Contact/Governors.shtml and clicking on your state.