|
=====================
State Medicaid Action Alert
August 4, 2005
======================
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents
1. National Conference of State Legislatures to vote on Medicaid reform --
your calls and letters needed now!
2. Action Needed
3. Contact information for all State Legislators including NCSL Health
Committee Members
4. NCSL Health Committee Members, arranged by State
5. Template Message
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
===================================================================== ===
1. National Conference of State Legislatures to vote on Medicaid reform --
Your calls and letters needed now!
========================================================================
At the summer of conference of the National Conference of State Legislators
(NCSL) the week of August 15 (Seattle, WA), state legislators will be
voting on Medicaid reform proposals, including NCSL's Long-Term Care
Flexibility Option (LTCFO) proposal.
LTCFO will allow states to trade away the entitlement status of their
long-term care programs under MEDICAID, in return for greater flexibility
regarding program design, benefits and eligibility. Under the LTCFO,
FEDERAL FUNDING would increase based on a yet-to-be-determined formula, but
it WOULD BE CAPPED. This means that federal funding would not rise to meet
potential surges in the need for long-term care. And this increased need is
certain to take place, as the number of Americans over the age of 85 will
double by 2030 and will quadruple by 2050.
Existing NCSL policy says it best -- Proposals to cap the Medicaid program
fundamentally change the relationship between the states and the federal
government by inappropriately transforming a full partnership into a
limited partnership, and shifting both costs and responsibility to state
governments without adequate authority to manage costs.
Although the carrot of increased flexibility is enticing to states that
feel constrained by mandatory benefits or eligibility categories,
flexibility can be achieved without sacrificing the federal funding stream
guaranteed by the current entitlement status.
A NCSL task force developed the LTCFO proposal. At the August NCSL meeting,
the NCSL Health Committee will vote on the task force's proposal. The
recommendation of the Health Committee will be considered by the full NCSL
board.
It is very important that we reach members of the Health Committee before
August 12. Contact information along with a template message are below for
your use.
=================
2. Action Needed
=================
HIGH PRIORITY: Please send the template message to the NCSL Health
Committee Members from your state listed below by August 12.
HIGH PRIORITY: Distribute this Action Alert to others in your state and
advocacy network. We need as many advocates as possible calling their state
legislators to oppose LTCFO.
ADDITIONAL ADVOCACY: You can also send the template message to your
personal legislators (House/Assembly and Senate) as they may communicate
our concerns to their colleagues listed below. If you are unsure who your
personal legislators are, visit
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L or through the
Project Vote Smart site and follow the prompts for choosing your state and
entering your zip and address.
======================================================
3. Contact information for all State Legislators, including NCSL Health
Committee Members
======================================================
District and Capitol Contact information for all state legislators can be
found at the following websites. If your legislature is not in session,
contact your elected official at his/her District Office:
A) Project Vote Smart
http://www.vote-smart.org
û just enter the last name of the state
legislator in the search window (upper left and click "go").
B) National Council on State Legislatures website
Note: VOR found the Project Vote Smart listings to be the most
comprehensive:
(1)
http://www.ncsl.org/public/leglinks.cfm
(2) In the left box, select your state.
(3) In the right box, select ôLegislators.ö
(4) Click ôGet Legislature Linksö
=================================================
4. NCSL Health Committee Members arranged by State
=================================================
The following are the State Legislators that sit on the NCSL Health
Committee. They are arranged by state in alpha order. The ones with an
asterisk (*) will be present and voting at the August meeting:
ALABAMA
Honorable Locy (Sonny) Baker
Honorable Jim Barton
Honorable Ronald Grantland
*Honorable Mary Sue McClurkin
*Honorable Michael J. (Mike) Millican
ALASKA
Honorable Sharon M. Cissna
*Honorable John B. Coghill
Honorable Fred Dyson
*Honorable Kim Elton
Honorable Norman Rokeberg
Honorable Peggy Wilson
ARIZONA
*Honorable Carolyn S. Allen
Honorable Robert Cannell
ARKANSAS
*Honorable Jerry P. Bookout
Honorable Jack L. Critcher
CALIFORNIA
*Honorable Deborah Ortiz
COLORADO
*Honorable Bob Hagedorn
Honorable Brandon Shaffer
CONNECTICUT
*Honorable Toni Nathaniel Harp (VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
DELAWARE
Honorable Patricia M. Blevins
*Honorable Liane M. Sorenson
Honorable John C. Still, III
FLORIDA
Honorable Muriel (Mandy) Dawson
Honorable Durell Peaden, Jr.
John Wilson
GEORGIA
Jill Fike (STAFF VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
*Honorable Renee S. Unterman
IDAHO
Honorable Kathie Garrett
Honorable Margaret Henbest
ILLINOIS
Honorable Patricia R. Bellock
Honorable M. Maggie Crotty
*Honorable Mattie Hunter
Honorable Dave Syverson
Honorable Donne E. Trotter (CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
INDIANA
Honorable Vaneta G. Becker
Honorable Billie J. Breaux
Honorable Charlie Brown
Honorable Mary Kay Budak
*Honorable Gary (Doc) P. Dillon
Honorable Benjamin E. GiaQuinta
Honorable Patricia L. Miller
*Honorable Marvin D. Riegsecker
Honorable Timothy D. Skinner
*Honorable Peggy M. Welch
IOWA
Honorable David Heaton
Honorable Amanda Ragan
*Honorable James Seymour
Honorable Mark D. Smith
*Honorable Maggie Tinsman (VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
KANSAS
*Honorable Pete Brungardt
Honorable Don Hill
KENTUCKY
*Honorable Thomas J. Burch
Honorable Julie Denton
*Honorable Jon E. Draud
Honorable Derrick W. Graham
*Honorable Joni L. Jenkins
Honorable Stephen R. Nunn
Honorable Richard L. (Dick) Roeding
*Honorable Susan Westrom
LOUISIANA
Honorable Sydnie Mae M. Durand
Honorable Nick Gautreaux
Honorable Joe McPherson
*Honorable Sherri Smith Cheek
Honorable Monica Walker
MAINE
Honorable Darlene J. Curley
Honorable Hannah Pingree
MARYLAND
Honorable Charles R. Boutin
Honorable John P. Donoghue
*Honorable Marilyn R. Goldwater
Honorable Janet Greenip
*Honorable Paula C. Hollinger
*Honorable Delores G. Kelley
*Honorable Adrienne A. Mandel
Honorable Nathaniel T. Oaks
*Honorable Shane E. Pendergrass
MASSACHUSETTS
Honorable Jarrett T. Barrios
Honorable Harriette L. Chandler
Honorable Mark C. Montigny
*Honorable Richard T. Moore
Honorable Bruce E. Tarr
MICHIGAN
Honorable Stephen Adamini
Honorable Edward J. Gaffney
Honorable John J. Gleason
*Honorable Kevin Green
Honorable Beverly S. Hammerstrom
Honorable Gilda Z. Jacobs
*Honorable Roger Kahn
*Honorable Gary Newell
MINNESOTA
Honorable Fran Bradley
Honorable Linda I. Higgins
*Honorable Sheila M. Kiscaden
Honorable Becky Lourey
Honorable Mary Ellen Otremba
*Honorable Char Samuelson
Katherine B. Schill
*Honorable Kathy Tingelstad
MONTANA
Honorable Arlene A. Becker
*Honorable John Esp
Honorable Don Roberts
Honorable Carolyn M. Squires
NEBRASKA
*Honorable Dennis M. Byars (VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
Honorable Douglas D. Cunningham
*Honorable Gwen Howard
*Honorable Jim Jensen
*Honorable Joel T. Johnson
Honorable Arnie E. Stuthman
*Honorable John Synowiecki
NEVADA
*Honorable Barbara K. Cegavske
Honorable Joe Hardy
Honorable Ellen M. Koivisto
Honorable Sheila Leslie
*Honorable Bernice Mathews
*Honorable Valerie Weber
NEW HAMPHSIRE
Honorable Peter L. Batula (VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
Honorable Robert E. Clegg, Jr.
*Honorable Phyllis M. Katsakiores
*Honorable James (Jim) MacKay
Honorable Andre A. Martel
Honorable Pamela G. Price
NEW MEXICO
*Honorable Dede Feldman
Honorable John A. Heaton
Honorable Danice R. Picraux
Honorable Teresa A. Zanetti
NEW YORK
Honorable Kemp Hannon
Honorable Thomas P. Morahan
NORTH CAROLINA
L Carol Shaw (STAFF VICE CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
NORTH DAKOTA
*The Honorable Ken Svedjan
OHIO
*Honorable Ray Miller
Honorable Jim Raussen
Honorable Shirley A. Smith
Honorable Lynn R. Wachtmann
Honorable John J. White
Honorable Christopher R. Widener
OKLAHOMA
Honorable Bernest H. Cain, Jr.
OREGON
Honorable Laurie Monnes Anderson
Honorable William E. Morrisette
PENNYSLVANIA
Honorable Jacob D. Corman, III
Honorable George T. Kenney, Jr.
Honorable Jane Clare Orie
Honorable Patricia H. Vance
RHODE ISLAND
Honorable Elizabeth H. Roberts
SOUTH CAROLINA
Honorable Tracy Russell Edge
Honorable Rex Fontaine Rice
Honorable Daniel L. Tripp
SOUTH DAKOTA
Honorable Jamie M. Boomgarden
*Honorable Thomas A. Dempster
*Honorable Larry Frost
Honorable Jean Hunhoff
Honorable Elizabeth Kraus
*Honorable Kathy Miles
*Honorable Duane Sutton
*Honorable Donald D. Van Etten
TEXAS
*Honorable David L. Farabee
*Honorable Carlos I. Uresti
UTAH
Honorable Sheldon Killpack
Spencer Pratt (STAFF CHAIR, NCSL HEALTH COMMITTEE)
VIRGINIA
Honorable Phillip A. Hamilton
Honorable W.B. (Benny) Keister
Honorable Stephen H. Martin
*Honorable Stephen D. Newman
Honorable Samuel A. Nixon, Jr.
*Honorable Toddy Puller
WASHINGTON
*Honorable Gary Alexander
*Honorable Barbara Bailey
Honorable Tom Campbell
Honorable Eileen L. Cody
*Honorable Karen Keiser
Honorable Dawn Morrell
Honorable Shay Schual-Berke
WEST VIRGINIA
Honorable Daniel S. Foster
Honorable Margarette R. Leach
Honorable Roman W. Prezioso, Jr.
*Honorable John R. Unger, II
WISCONSIN
Honorable Curtis C. Gielow
Honorable Gregg A. Underheim
WYOMING
*Honorable John M. Hastert
*Honorable Mike Massie
*Honorable Larry Meuli
*Honorable Charles K. Scott
=======================
5. Template Message
=======================
Dear _______:
Beginning August 12, the National Conference on State Legislators will
consider the Long-Term Care Flexibility Option (LTCFO) proposal.
VOR, a national advocacy organization representing people with mental
retardation and their families, urges you to oppose LTCFO, a proposal
that
will allow states to accept fewer federal Medicaid funds in exchange for
increased flexibility. Existing NCSL policy makes the strongest case
against such a proposal:
Proposals to cap the Medicaid program fundamentally change the
relationship
between the states and the federal government by inappropriately
transforming a full partnership into a limited partnership, and shifting
both costs and responsibility to state governments without adequate
authority to manage costs.
.
Cuts and caps prevent people from accessing necessary care and will only
increase the amount of state appropriations required to accommodate the
individuals forced into (expensive) emergency situations. This is
especially true for medically-fragile individuals with severe and profound
mental retardation whose living and health care arrangements are totally
dependent on Medicaid coverage. Presented with a cut in services, the end
result is often ill-equipped emergency rooms and/or inappropriate nursing
home placement.
Strong state leadership is necessary to ensure that our nation's admirable
history of supporting our most vulnerable citizenry will not be lost to the
chopping block. Please embrace Medicaid as a critical health care program
for our nation's most vulnerable citizens. As a legislator, your decisions
this month are truly a matter of life or death.
Sincerely,
Your name, address, contact information
======================================
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
======================================
|
