Medicaid STILL Matters: CTD’s Take on Cassidy-Graham
Sept. 20, 2017
updated Sept. 21
You've probably heard about the Cassidy-Graham proposal (CG) that some US Senators are pushing right now. Or, as we like to call it, Repeal, minus Replace, plus Medicaid Obliteration. Like its Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal predecessors, this bill would have devastating effects for people with disabilities on Medicaid, children on CHIP, people with pre-existing conditions who have a plan from the marketplace, people relying on essential health benefits, state budgets, and more!
Our objections to this legislation:
- On top of repealing the ACA, CG restructures traditional Medicaid to per capita cap spending, which will slash funding. People with disabilities rely on Medicaid for access to care and services, and there is already a long waitlist in Texas for Medicaid programs. When all is said and done, the amount of money that CG would cut from Medicaid is more than the higher education budget of all states combined.
- CG implements a block grant for Medicaid expansion, which would end in ten years. Even though Texas didn't expand Medicaid, we'll see a drop in federal dollars in 2026 (more on that from CPPP). Think the Texas Legislature will be able to make up the difference to fill that void? We don't either.
- CG strips protections for people with pre-existing conditions on the private insurance market.
- If your family benefits from CHIP insurance for your kids, you are in deep trouble. If CG passes, CHIP reauthorization (deadline of September 30!) AND bipartisan marketplace stabilization efforts are dead (more on that from the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University).
There are of course a couple things you can do IMMEDIATELY:
- Send comments to the Senate Finance Committee by 1 pm ET on Monday, Sept. 25. AAPD tells you how.
- Call your Senators AND Representative. If CG gets through the Senate, we need to be ready to defeat it in the House. The Center for Public Representation has phone numbers and talking points.
- Join CTD and our partners for a public square town hall on Sunday in Austin. Both Senators Cruz and Cornyn will be in town, a great opportunity to tell them to oppose this bill! More info and RSVP on Facebook.
- Share away on social media!
Does it seem like this battle never ends? Know that CG is the last attempt to repeal the ACA and gut Medicaid under the Senate rules that allow for 51 votes to pass a bill. Starting October 1, a bill will require 60 votes.
