Urge Your Members of Congress
to Include Long Term Services and Supports in Health Care Reform

Please urge your members of Congress to include long term services and supports in health care reform by asking them to co-sponsor and support the Community Choice Act (HR 1670/S.683) and the CLASS Act (HR 1721/S.697).

Background
Fixing the health care system is one of the top priorities of the Obama Administration. The White House has actively been working to learn about what Americans most want to see in health care reform.

At a recent White House meeting, leaders from national disability organizations, including The Arc and UCP, had an opportunity to explain what people with disabilities most need in their health care system. Two of the most important needs we discussed were:

• The choice of receiving long term services and supports in our own communities rather than in institutions; and
• Not having to impoverish ourselves in order to qualify for long term services and supports.

Though Administration officials expressed a strong commitment to people with disabilities at the meeting, we cannot take for granted that long term services and supports will be addressed as part of health care reform.

Congress is in the process of putting together a health care reform bill. Therefore, if we want long term services and supports to be addressed as part of health care reform, we must communicate our views directly to Members of Congress and to do so now.

For information on the two critical long term services and supports bills that we want included in health care reform legislation, see:

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Take Action
On April 29, hundreds of disability self advocates, their families, service providers, and others will be on Capitol Hill pushing for long term services and supports to be included in health care reform. Participants in the 2009 Disability Policy Seminar will be sending a consistent message:

• Long term services and supports MUST be included in health care reform; and
• The CLASS Act and Community Choice Act provide the long term services and supports policies needed for real health care reform

If you cannot make it to Washington, please join your fellow disability advocates by contacting your Members of Congress via email. Use the "Take Action" link for a sample message.