ACTION ALERT: TAKE ACTION TODAY CALL SENATOR BURR AND DOLE!

Take Action Today! Call Senator Elizabeth Dole and Senator Richard Burr! Ask them to Support the CMS Regulations Moratorium.

Urge Our Senators to Support the Moratorium on the Proposed Regulations on Medicaid’s Rehab Option and School Based Services by Signing the Sanders-Collins-Casey “Dear Colleague” Letter.

Background
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued two proposed Medicaid regulations which, if implemented, would have a severe impact on children and adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. One would limit habilitation services for people with developmental disabilities under Medicaid’s rehabilitative services option. The other would limit school based services and transportation for Medicaid eligible children receiving IDEA services.

A two year moratorium on these proposed regulations, which would prevent CMS from taking any action to implement them, is part of the SCHIP reauthorization bill. However it is unclear whether that bill will become law this year.

Status
Senators Sanders (D-VT), Collins (R-ME), and Casey (D-PA) are circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter urging their colleagues to sign a letter to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) urging them to include the two-year Medicaid regulation moratorium in the a forthcoming Medicare bill. (Congress will soon be considering a bill on Medicare reimbursements to physicians).

It is important that as many Senators as possible sign this letter. Hearing from their constituents will encourage them to do so.

The deadline for Senators to sign the “Dear Colleague” letter is close of business Thursday, November 15th.

Action Needed
Call your Senators’ Washington offices before Thursday, November 15.

You can:
* Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senators office’s OR
*Call Senator Elizabeth Dole’s office at (202) 224-6342, Senator Richard Burr’s office at (202) 224-3154.


Talking points:
* May I please speak with the staff person who handles Medicaid or health care?

* I am calling to urge the Senator to sign on to the “Sanders-Collins-Casey” Dear Colleague. This letter urges the Finance Committee to include a two-year moratorium on proposed Medicaid regulations in the Medicare bill.

* If implemented, these regulations would severely limit services which are critical to children and adults with developmental disabilities.

* If the Senator has not seen the letter, has questions, or is willing to sign on, he/she should call Abby Driscoll in Senator Sanders’ office (for Democratic offices) or Priscilla Hanley in Senator Collins’ office (for Republican offices).

* The deadline for Senators to sign the letter is close of business Thursday, November 15th.