LEGISLATIVE ALERT

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED IN SENATE

SUPPORT SIMITH-BINGAMAN AMENDMENT TO STRIKE CUTS TO
MEDICAID

BACKGROUND:

This week the House Budget Committee passed a Fiscal Year
(FY) 2006 budget resolution that requires approximately $20
billion in cuts to Medicaid over 5 years. The Senate Budget
Committee passed its a FY 2006 budget resolution with $15
billion in cuts to Medicaid over 5 years. The Congressional
Budget Office analysis of the Administration's budget
proposal to cut Medicaid stated that the Administration's
cuts would amount to $7.6 billion over 5 years. Therefore,
the Senate Budget Resolution's cut is almost twice the
level of the Administration's proposed cut.

Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) will
offer an amendment on the Senate floor to strike the $15
billion in Medicaid cuts and create a bi-partisan
Commission that will seek input from all stakeholders
(including people with disabilities, families and
providers) on Medicaid reform.

STATUS:

The House and Senate will vote on the FY 2006 budget
resolutions during the week of March 14. As of now, there
is little hope to remove devastating cuts from the House
budget resolution, therefore Medicaid advocates have to
make sure the Senate version has the smallest possible cut.
That is why the Smith-Bingaman amendment striking down the
cuts is so important.

The Smith-Bingaman amendment may be considered and voted on
as early as Tuesday, March 15. All Senators must be
contacted. We cannot take any vote for granted.

ACTION TO BE TAKEN:

1) Call toll free 1-800-828-0498. This number will connect
you to the Capitol switchboard. Ask for your Senators
office and then tell them to support the Smith-Bingaman
amendment. After you call one of your Senator's offices,
call back and reach your other Senator's office. If the
toll-free line is busy, call back again.

This toll-free line will be available until the vote on the
Smith-Bingaman amendment occurs.

2) Contact your Senators by e-mail using the sample letter
and urge them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment. Send
this sample letter even if you have written to your
Senators in the past 2 weeks about Medicaid.

3) Forward this information to at least 5 of your family,
friends, neighbors, co-workers or fellow advocates and ask
them to call and e-mail their Senators.

Remember that all Senate offices keep track of the numbers
of calls and e-mails they receive on each issue.