What’s happening in the Senate now could hurt people with disabilities for years to come.
Here’s what’s going on:
- More attacks on the Affordable Care Act. The Senate tax bill would repeal the individual mandate of the ACA – the part that makes insurance affordable for most people. Repealing the individual mandate would cost 13 million people their health insurance, and premiums would increase by 10%.
- Raise the deficit now, cut Medicaid later. We know that this tax bill will increase the deficit by $1.5 trillion. Congress will pay for this by cutting Medicaid. We know this because they told us – their budget plan would cut Medicaid and health care funding by between $1.3 trillion and $1.9 trillion.
- Vital services at risk. If the tax bill passes, it will trigger automatic cuts to services and programs that many people with disabilities need to get by, including food stamps, special education funding, and Medicare.
If they’re able to pass this bill, Congress will use the deficit to argue that slashing Medicaid funding is inevitable. They’re trying to hide the fact that we have a choice, right now, about what our government funds: tax breaks for corporations, or services that help disabled people access the basics. Your Senators are in their home states this week – tell them what choice you want them to make!
Here’s how you can make your voice heard:
- Set up meetings at your Senators’ local offices and tell your Senators or their staff why you oppose the current tax bill. Use ContactingCongress.org to find out how to contact your local office, and check out our toolkit for more information.
- Talk to your Senators at town halls and public appearances. Your Senators’ websites will have more info about when they’ll be making 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 Senators and tell them to vote NO. You can find contact 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 have to keep our eye on the ball – this tax bill is just another attempt to gut Medicaid and repeal the ACA. We can defeat it the same way we did before: by showing up. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for your advocacy. Together, we can say “no thanks” to tax policy that harms our community.