[1]NNU - Medicare for All!



Did you know that more than 1 in 4 adults in the United States has a
disability, and 16 percent of people all over the world — across age,
gender, race, and other demographics — are disabled?^1,2

In honor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed into
law on July 26th, 1990, July is recognized as Disability Pride Month. It’s
a time to celebrate people with disabilities, their contributions, and
their culture, while acknowledging the challenges they face in the ongoing
fight for equity and inclusion.

The ADA was a groundbreaking civil rights law designed to protect disabled
people from discrimination, in addition to requiring employers to provide
reasonable accommodations to disabled employees and creating accessibility
requirements in public spaces. Despite this, people with disabilities to
this day generally face increased barriers and costs to get the care they
need.

This year, we can’t help but think about how President Trump and
Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill, which includes nearly $1 trillion
in cuts to Medicaid, will further hurt people with disabilities.

[ [link removed] ]The New York Times: Disabled Americans Fear What Medicaid Cuts Could Do
to Them. The White House says roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts won’t
limit home- and community-based care. Health care experts disagree.

Medicaid provides home- and community-based care to enable children and
adults with disabilities to live with their families and still receive the
care they need to not just survive but lead fulfilling lives. Currently,
around 4.5 million Americans depend on these services, empowering them to
live at home, go to school, hold a job, and more.^3

Trump and the GOP say people with disabilities won’t be affected by their
recent cuts, but as the New York Times reports, health care experts
disagree. Most of these home- and community-based services are considered
“optional” by federal law, so they are often the first to go when budgets
need to shrink.^4

While disabled people will still be eligible for Medicaid, they may have
to go through extra bureaucracy to get the care they need. These cuts
could restrict who qualifies, cover less, eliminate programs altogether,
and/or cut pay for home care providers, worsening the backlog of hundreds
of thousands of people already on waitlists for services.

For many disabled people, this could mean the difference between living at
home and being forced to live the rest of their lives in a facility.

[ [link removed] ]If you or someone you love has been affected personally by this recent
legislation, please take a moment to share your story with us here →

[ [link removed] ]Share Your Story »

We are committed to keeping up our fight to hold lawmakers accountable for
making these devastating Medicaid cuts and our fight to achieve health
care justice for all — including people with disabilities — through
Medicare for All. We hope you’ll share your personal experiences with us
to strengthen our message and movement.

In solidarity,

Nurses' Campaign to Win Medicare for All

 

Sources:
1 - [ [link removed] ]CDC
2 - [ [link removed] ]World Bank
3 - [ [link removed] ]New York Times
4 - Ibid



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