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Voice of the Retarded Supports

a Temporary Increase in Federal Medicaid Spending

Voice of the Retarded (VOR) is pleased to support efforts to temporarily increase federal Medicaid spending to help ensure that States are able to maintain important residential and health care programs on behalf of people with disabilities, the elderly, and other Americans.

States are struggling to accommodate Medicaid shortfalls that were present even before the September 11 tragedy. Since then, the situation has only worsened. As the economy weakens and the tax base in most states erodes, budgets suffer and demand increases. People with disabilities, including people with mental retardation, stand to suffer the most if access to residential, health care and other services is cut. For people with chronic health care conditions accessing uninterrupted services is often a matter of life or death.

A provision within the Senate version of the Economic Recovery and Assistance for American Workers Act of 2001 aims to provide a temporary solution to this temporary crisis. This provision would offer a one-time increase of 1.5% in the federal Medicaid matching funds ("FMAP") provided to all fifty states in Fiscal Year 2002. States with higher than average unemployment rates in the three months leading up to the September 11 attacks would receive an additional 1.5% increase, bringing their total rate increase to 3%. In addition, 29 states that were slated for matching rate decreases would receive a one year reprieve from the planned cuts.

It is vital that Americans with disabilities, including people with mental retardation, not be left behind in the ongoing plans to stimulate the nation's economy. The proposal to temporarily increase federal Medicaid spending offers some level of security for our nation's most vulnerable citizens. VOR does ask that any increase in Medicaid spending result in direct support to the people in need, rather than administrative costs.

VOR is pleased to join the National Governor's Association, and other national organizations, in its support for a temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding as an important component of the overall effort to stimulate the economy.

END

Voice of the Retarded is a national organization advocating on behalf of individuals with mental retardation and their families. VOR is the only national organization advocating for a full range of residential and support options for people with mental retardation, including Medicaid-certified Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded (ICFs/MR) and home and community-based care.

VOR * 836 S. Arlington Heights Rd., #351 * Elk Grove Village, Illinois * 60007

877-399-4VOR ph. * 847-253-0675 fax * tamie327@hotmail.com