Help Bring Desperately Needed Improvements in Health Care and Long Term Services for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Do you know anyone who has been denied health insurance
because of a pre-existing condition?

Do you know anyone who has not been able to access quality
affordable health care?

Do you know anyone who has been waiting a long time for
Medicaid home and community based services?

Then you need to get involved Right NOW

Why Now?

The stakes have never been higher.  National Health care reform is hanging in the balance. 

From mid August through Labor Day, Members of Congress are back in their home districts hearing from their constituents about health care reform.  Many will be making their decisions on whether or not to support an overhaul of our health care system.

The chance to make meaningful improvements in health care only comes along every few decades.  There are strong opponents to reform, such as the insurance industry.  If we don't speak now...

What Do People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Most Need in Health Care Reform?

1. No Pre-existing conditions exclusions.
• Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing coverage because of medical history.
2. No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
• Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on coverage.
3. Coverage for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, and Orthotics (DMEPOS)
• These products will be included in any new health plans.
4. Increased Medicaid provider reimbursement rates
• More providers will serve Medicaid clients when their reimbursement rates are increased to match to those of Medicare providers.
5. Improved Home and Community Based Services
• When the institutional bias is removed from Medicaid, more states will serve more people and allow them to choose where they receive long term services and supports services
6. Reduced Demand for Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports
• Medicaid will be strengthened when a national voluntary long term care insurance program is implemented.

For more information, click here to read about the disability community's goals for health care reform at (link to CCD principles document).

TAKE ACTION

Many Members of Congress will spend the August recess in their home districts.  Please participate in one or more of the following types of events over the recess between August 8 and September 8:

• Town Halls meeting sponsored by your Members of Congress.  You may be able to find a list of town halls on your Senators' and Representatives' web sites.  Locate your Senators websites by selecting your state at the top of http://www.senate.gov/ and your Representative's website by entering your zip code at the top of http://www.house.gov.  If you cannot locate this information on the websites, please call their main offices and ask to speak to the scheduler.
• In–district meetings with your Members of Congress.  Please contact your local Members offices NOW to schedule a meeting.  Guidance on requesting in-district meetings is usually provided under a “Constituent Services” section of your Senators and Representatives websites. Again, you can also call their district offices and ask to speak to their schedulers.
• Other Community calendar events.  Many local newspapers and web sites have extensive listings of fairs, parades, concerts, and other community events where Members of Congress might show up.

Please feel free to utilize the following materials:

• Fact Sheet
• Talking Points
• Placards
• Personal stories from your community, such as:
• being on a waiting list for home and community based services,
• having to quit a job to care for a loved one at home,
• having to take a second job to pay a care provider,
• not being able to move to another state due to loss of Medicaid services
• having to move a loved one into an institution
• being unable to find appropriate medical care

Thank you in advance for your great advocacy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 202-783-2229 or acosta@thedpc.org