Emergency Medicaid Matters to Me Letter Writing Campaign - Deadline Extended to Midnight Wednesday!

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Health Care/Medicaid - Senate Releases New Healthcare/Medicaid Discussion Draft, Concerning Provisions Largely Unchanged

On July 13, the Senate released a new discussion draft of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The Senate was unable to secure support to pass the bill before the July 4 recess and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Administration officials continue to work hard to convince at least 50 Senators to support the bill. To address strong criticism regarding the impact on people with disabilities, the new draft includes $8 billion for a four-year home and community based services demonstration for rural states. This woefully inadequate one-time fund is much smaller than the $19 billion cut from the enhanced federal match (which is not time-limited) in the Community First Choice state option. Additionally, the draft bill still includes per capita caps, which, when combined with cuts to Medicaid expansion, will result in reductions in Medicaid spending by 35% by 2036, compared to current law. Additional changes include allowing insurers to sell plans that cover fewer services, increased funding to address the opioid crisis, and maintaining the Affordable Care Act's high-income payroll tax and investment income tax. In a statement, The Arc warned that the new draft continues to pose a severe threat to people with disabilities.

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