ACA repeal is back, and it’s just as bad as ever. Health care and Medicaid for people with disabilities are being threatened once again in order to pay for a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. Congress is using the current Senate tax bill to try to repeal the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act – the part that makes insurance under the ACA affordable for most people. If this bill passes, 13 million people are expected to lose health insurance, and insurance premiums will go up by 10 percent. This bill will also raise the deficit, which will be used to justify cuts to Medicaid and home and community based services.
Your Senators are home this week, and they need to hear from you. This whole week, Senators will be back in their home states, talking to constituents during the Thanksgiving recess. Constituent visits matter because they let Senators directly see and hear how bills will change the lives of the people they represent. We need to show up.
- Go to your local offices and tell your elected officials why this is dangerous. To find your local office, use contactingcongress.org. You can contact these offices to set up a meeting – this is one of the most effective ways to get your point across to an elected official. Check out our toolkit for more information.
- Talk to your elected officials at town halls and public appearances. Your senators’ websites will list their upcoming appearances, and you can also check Townhallproject.com
- Go to a local rally. Lots of local organizations will be having events about tax reform and saving the ACA. They need a disability presence.
- Call your elected officials and tell them to vote NO. You can find their information at contactingcongress.org.
When you call, you can use our script:
People with disabilities like [me/ my family member/ my friends] are not disposable, and our health care is not your trust fund. Please vote AGAINST any tax bills that repeal the individual mandate or otherwise damage the Affordable Care Act. We’re counting on you to do the right thing.
We won this battle before, and if we fight just as hard, we can win it again. With our community’s health care at risk, we cannot afford to stand down. Help us tell Congress to keep their #HandsOff our health care!