The Senate’s health care bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, has been set aside by Congress for today. Thank you to the thousands of autism and disability advocates who contacted their members of Congress to #SaveMedicaid.
Autism Speaks has serious concerns with the legislation because it would cut Medicaid substantially over the next decade. While some efforts were made to exempt children with disabilities from these cuts, the long-term impact of the bill on adults with autism and the uncertainty for all individuals caused by the reductions to the Medicaid system make this legislation untenable for our community. We are grateful that it has been set aside.
Our work is not done. More than 500,000 individuals with disabilities still wait for services on Medicaid waiver lists around the country. Waiver benefits are the lifeblood of support for families with autism and need to be more widely accessible. Innovation is needed to improve the services that do exist. Thoughtful reform about how to address this unmet need should be a priority for Congress and governors around the country. We encourage Congress to take the time necessary to work with stakeholders and thought leaders to do this right.
Please join our cause to make Medicaid work better for all people with autism by being an advocate through Autism Votes and supporting our work.
Sincerely,
Angela
Angela Geiger
President and CEO
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks
1 East 33rd Street, 4th Floor
New York, New York 10016 Unitem States
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