Avisery Alert: Urgent - Take Action TODAY to Protect Health Care Access in Illinois!
Avisery encourages all those who care about the health of older adults and adults with disabilities in Illinois to contact their federal legislators this week and tell them to maintain current Medicaid funding in the next federal budget. The House Majority is proposing measures that could lead to $800 billion being cut from the Medicaid program! Click here to access AgeOptions advocacy alert tool to make your voice heard now!
Votes on the federal budget are expected to begin next week, after Congress returns from recess. Your elected representatives are in their districts now and can be reached with your concerns. National advocates tell us that lawmakers are feeling the pressure from their constituents to protect Medicaid, but more calls and messages are needed. Personal stories about the impact are particularly effective.
Keep reading for further details and for other options to contact your elected officials.
Background
Last week, the House Majority issued a proposal instructing the Energy and Commerce Committee to cut at least $880 billion from the federal budget. The majority of those cuts would have to come from Medicaid due to limited flexibility with other programs under the committee’s jurisdiction. Lawmakers have already signaled specific strategies they could pursue to achieve those cuts, including imposing work requirements on Medicaid recipients, lowering the federal matching rate (aka “the FMAP”) to below the current minimum of 50%, or converting the current program where the federal government matches state expenditures at a specified rate to one where states receive a fixed annual per capita payment that cannot be adjusted in situations such as natural disasters, regional economic downturns, or a global pandemic.
Nationwide, Medicaid pays for over half of all long term care expenses in both institutional and home and community based settings that prevent institutionalization1. This number includes costs for people from higher socio-economic groups that “spend down” their income and savings to qualify for Medicaid coverage of their long term care costs. Medicare does NOT cover long term care.
One in 6 (16%) Illinois Medicaid beneficiaries is either an older adult or an adult with disabilities, but they account for 35% of expenditures2. This population will feel a disproportionate impact of any across-the-board reduction in Medicaid funding.
One in 5 Illinois Medicare beneficiaries are also on Medicaid3. This dually eligible population is more likely to suffer from chronic and complex health conditions that neither program alone is equipped to treat fully.
In 7 of Illinois’ 17 Congressional Districts, the percentage of the population covered by Medicaid is higher than the national average of 23.4%4. The list below includes both urban and rural parts of the state. The health care systems in these districts will feel the impact of large reductions in Medicaid coverage, potentially leading to provider closures, job loss and other hits to the local economy that will impact all residents. These districts include:1st – 32.3%, 2nd -40.1%, 4th -34.8%, 7th – 34.7%,12th – 29.7%,13th - 31.4%, and 17th – 33.7%
2 (2024, August). Medicaid in Illinois. KFF. https://files.kff.org/attachment/fact-sheet-medicaid-state-IL 3 Ibid 4(n.d.). Metric Map of Congressional Districts. Congressional District Health Dashboard. Metric Map of Congressional Districts,https://www.congressionaldistricthealthdashboard.org/maps/national?metric=46&dataPeriod=202401
Other Ways to Contact Your Legislators
Telephone: Hands Off Medicaid Hotline: 866-426-2631. Upon calling the number, you will enter your 5 digit zip code and be connected to your Congressperson. Call-in number provided by SEIU
Advocacy Still Needed to Reauthorize the Older Americans Act!
Click here to access AgeOptions Advocacy advocacy alert tool and urge your legislators to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). When a resolution was passed to prevent a government shut down in December, funding for the Older Americans Act was left out. Illinois’ older adults rely on this vital funding for nutrition, benefits enrollment assistance, caregiver support, adult protective services, and more. Please contact your legislators to reauthorize the OAA!
Avisery by AgeOptions provides tools and support to professionals serving older adults and people with disabilities, enabling them to help their clients access healthcare coverage that allows them to thrive as they age.
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