Call to Action -  
Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA)
The Autism Society of California Responds to the
Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA)
 
Many of us have been hearing the news about the repeal and replacement of the Obama Affordable Care Act concerning affordability, access, premiums, and pre-existing conditions clauses, and the massive changes proposed to the Medicaid system, called Medi-Cal, in California.  You may recall a few weeks ago, the US House of Representatives passed its own version of the repeal and replace bill and now the Senate is considering its own version.   
 
The proposed legislation will have a devastating effect on services to our children and adults with autism and related disorders, developmental disabilities, and our elderly population.  An analysis from the Congressional Budget Office indicates that the bill passed by the House will lead to $860 billion less in Medicaid spending over the next 10 years.
 
Medi-Cal rates are very low which makes it extremely difficult to find quality providers.  If you do locate a provider, there are often long waiting lists in order to access their services.  If cuts to this already lean program are approved, it will place millions of disabled and elderly Americans at risk of losing vital services and medical care essential for their very existence.  

How This Proposed Legislation Will Affect Our Families in California
*     Approximately 50% of Regional Center services rely on federal Medicaid funding.
 
*       Federal Medicaid funds pay for more than half of In-Home Support Services (IHSS) and Medi-Cal health benefits  
 
*       Already underfunded Regional Center services, such as supported living, supported employment, respite, transportation, day programs and group homes will be at risk of elimination
 
*    In California, Medi-Cal enrollment increased by 4 million people who became eligible due to the expansion under the Affordable Care Act.    If this new health care plan is approved, California has to find ways to either cut those 4 million people off from Medi-Cal or find a way to use state general funds in order to continue to pay for it.
 
*       For those families who are not on Medi-Cal, some of the proposed changes to the health care law (elimination or reduction of essential benefits and pre-existing conditions) will have a great impact on health plans in California and across the nation.
 
*       School districts across the country rely on federal Medicaid funding for approximately $4 billion annually to offer speech and occupational therapy, wheelchairs, specialized playground equipment, and other assistance to students with disabilities.
What Happens Now
The Senate bill is scheduled for a vote the end of this week.   Only a simple majority is needed - just 51 yes votes to pass this bill. 
What You Can Do - the Key States and Senators
Though California's Senators, Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, will oppose the bill, there are key states - Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, and West Virginia.  If you have friends or relatives in these states ask them to contact their  Senators this week to vote no on this bill. It is important that voters from the  Senators' states are the ones that call or email.  The Senate offices will only track calls from people they serve in their state.  The more calls, faxes or emails the Senators receive, the more they will listen.
 
  "My name is __________ and I live in (city, state).   I am calling to ask Senator ___________  to vote NO on the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 because the deep cuts and caps to Medicaid will cause great harm to people with disabilities and their families."
 
Thank you for your activism!
 
Thank you to Connie Boyar, Marty Omoto, Marcia Eichelberger, Penne Fode, Sandy Shove and Beth Burt.