Dear Health Advocates,
The House Rules Committee voted to advance the budget resolution last night, which instructs at least $880 billion in savings from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, necessitating large Medicaid cuts (see Energy & Commerce, p. 25).
A floor vote is expected this evening, though this depends on leadership's confidence that it will succeed on the floor. We need to keep up the pressure as the potential for disastrous Medicaid cuts looms; we MUST get as many NO Republican House votes as possible to protect Medicaid and the safety net. See Families USA's statement urging Congress to reject the budget resolution that rips health care away from millions of Americans.
Every day, new reporting is showing that our health advocacy community is successfully making clear to Representatives that Medicaid cuts will have harmful impacts on state budgets and beneficiaries. There are opportunities to engage TODAY to continue making the case, along with others:
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Protect Medicaid Call-in Day, hosted by Caring Across Generations, to urge members to vote NO on the House budget resolution. Call Congress using the existing hotline at 866-426-2631 and tell them Medicaid cuts should be off the table.
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Protect Medicaid and Mental Health Days of Action, hosted by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), with a Toolkit sample social posts, social graphics and sample advocacy alert email.
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Reminder that you can join Families USA and email your members: Medicaid Defense Email Writing Campaign.
- And finally, use hashtags #HandsOffMedicaid or #HandsOffOurMedicaid on social media.
Later this week, after we know more about the vote: on Friday, February 28 at 12 PM ET, please join Families USA and our friends at Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, NHeLP, and Community Catalyst on Friday, February 28 at 12 PM ET to regroup on the latest developments around the budget resolution process and discuss statewide campaigns and activities in defense of Medicaid.
Affordability Sign On
As Congress considers harmful cuts to the social safety net through the partisan budget reconciliation process, Families USA is continuing to urge policymakers to take a different direction outside of reconciliation to advance bipartisan policies that make health care more affordable. We invite you to join us in this sign on letter urging Congress to address the high and rising health care costs that are threatening the health and financial well-being of our nation’s families, workers, employers, small businesses, and communities. Please sign on no later than EOD Wednesday, March 5.
You can find more on all of this below, along with this week’s new opportunities and resources:
