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HOUSE
GIVES FINAL PASSAGE ON MEDICAID BUDGET CUTS! SENATE VOTE TODAY!
At 6:00 a.m.
this morning, December 19, 2005, after a marathon weekend session,
the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Budget Reconciliation
Conference Report that still significantly impacted Medicaid and
other programs.
The bill,
S.
1932, now goes to the U.S. Senate for a final vote. Both
Senators Schumer and Clinton are expected to vote against
this bill that cuts Medicaid, but it would be nice for them to
hear some positive reinforcement for their decision. Please call
them Toll-Free at 1-800-426-8073.
Congressman John
McHugh
is deserving of everyone’s thanks and praise for his determination
to stay the course and actually vote against the final bill;
the only NY Republican to do so and only one of nine nationwide.
Perhaps not appreciated by his leadership, but let’s make sure he
feels welcome for supporting people with disabilities and others
who would be negatively impacted by this bill.
Congressman Sweeney’s letter was signed by McHugh, Kelly and
King. Please thank them for their initial support, but all but
McHugh voted for the bill in the end.
The final
bill,
S.
1932 is worse than the House version passed in
HR 4241. The Conference Committee rejected savings the
Senate had added that would have come from increased drug
manufacturers rebates and from eliminating a $10 billion slush
fund to encourage participation in Medicare by regional Preferred
Provider Organizations (PPOs). It also rejected suggested savings
to come from overpayments to managed care plans, a suggestion
supported by both the Bush Administration and the Senate.
(See CBPP Report)
SSI – Under
the conference agreement, individuals with disabilities who have
waited months for SSA to review and approve their applications for
SSI (a common occurrence in SSI), and consequently are owed more
than three months of back benefits, would have to receive these
benefits in installments that could stretch out over the course of
a year, making it more difficult for them to pay off arrears in
bills that have built up during their disability while awaiting
SSI approval. The Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) estimated the savings from this provision
at $425 million over five years. Some "true" savings apparently
would be achieved, as well, as a result of some individuals dying
before receiving the back benefits they are owed. Ironically, if
a person dies, back benefits owed to them are not even available
to help family members pay for funeral costs.
Benefit
Reductions – The bill eliminates the federal standards that assure
comprehensive health care coverage, possibly including therapy
services, personal care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and crutches,
etc.
Other
provisions of the bill:
-
Increases in
Medicaid co-payments and premiums
-
New asset
transfer rules to restrict Medicaid eligibility
-
New work
requirements for TANF eligibility
-
A modest
increase in Child Care money (Won't cover people now required to
work under TANF)
-
Reduced
Child Support Enforcement money
The bill does
retain the new optional expanded HCBS Waiver, but only allocates
$1 billion over 10 years. It also creates an option for
Self-Directed services as part of an existing State Plan, with no
additional money allocated. See links above
or www.nysacra.org
for links to any of these provisions.
Click Here for link to VERY LARGE pdf copy of the final Conference
Report Mark-Up of
S.1932.
(10MB-pdf)
All of
these “savings” and cuts, heaped upon the most disadvantaged
Americans, are necessary to enact various tax cuts to those
earning over $100,000 or more. |
