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Strengthen, Preserve and Embrace Medicaid 

VOR ACTION ALERT

June 4, 2004

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Table of Contents

1. Support VOR Initiative Participants with your calls and faxes

2.  ACTION NEEDED + TIME LINE

3. Phone/fax template message

4. Congressional contact information 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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1. Support VOR Initiative Participants with your calls and faxes

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During the week of June 14, 2004, more than 70 VOR members will be visiting

their Congressmen and staff. You can support their visits by also calling

your Senators and Representative with our shared message.

Calls from "home" are incredibly effective. Past participants report going

into offices with VOR's materials and hearing, "We just heard from someone

else from Voice of the Retarded." Your calls will serve to empower your

peers in Washington and also lend greater visibility to our shared issues

and concerns.

Full details, including templates and contact information follows.  

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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2. ACTION NEEDED + TIME LINE

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Calls and/or FAXES to Congressional offices asking them to strengthen,

preserve and embrace Medicaid by rejecting legislative reform proposals,

including block grants, MiCASSA and Money Follows the Individual, that will

erode Medicaid's ability to serve and protect individuals with mental

retardation. 

TIME LINE: If you can time your calls for Monday, June 14 that would be

best. That is when VOR members will be hitting the Congressional Hill. If

not Monday, June 14, then as soon as possible. 

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3.  Phone/fax template message

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Phone/fax template message:  

"I am a member of Voice of the Retarded. This week, Voice of the Retarded

members from across the country will visit every congressional office to

express our collective support for the Medicaid program. This program is a

lifeline for our family members with mental retardation. 

"VOR is concerned about proposals that would erode the basic services of

the Medicaid program. I share VOR's concerns. I oppose proposals to block

grant the Medicaid program.  [SENATE ONLY: I oppose S. 1394 Money Follows

the Individual proposal because it targets people already receiving good

care to the exclusion of the hundreds of thousands of individuals waiting

for services.] I oppose S. 971 and H.R. 2032, MiCASSA, because it will cost

taxpayers $10-20 billion in new federal funding and risk funding for

optional services like the home and community-based waiver and Intermediate

Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation. 

"If supported by Congress, these proposals could have dire consequences to

people with mental retardation. Thank you in advance for welcoming my peers

from VOR when they visit your office."

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4. Congressional Contact Information

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To find out who represents you in Congress, visit http://www.congress.org. 

You can also reach any congressional office by calling the U.S. Capitol

Switchboard: 202-224-3121

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tamie Hopp

Executive Director

Voice of the Retarded<