Thursday, September 21, 2017

Activist toolkit for Medicaid

This toolkit was shared by the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities

Continued Threat to Medicaid


THIS IS REAL and THIS IS URGENT

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Senators Cassidy and Graham introduced a bill last week to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  This bill, like previous proposals, would make huge cuts to and place caps on the Medicaid program, end the Medicaid expansion and marketplace subsidies in the ACA, and allow states to waive consumer protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

Analysis indicates this bill would be devastating to people with disabilities and their families, women and children, seniors, and low-income Americans. And for the developmental disability community in particular, it threatens access to community living, employment opportunities, and educational supports. These services are available through home and community based waivers; they are also part of Medicaid and they are administered in Washington through the Developmental Disability Administration. 

#SaveMedicaid #ProtectOurCare

Spread the Word: No Cuts! No Caps! Save Medicaid!
Flood social media, call your members of congress starting today!
Primary hashtag: #SaveMedicaid
Secondary hashtag: #ProtectOurCare

See below for date-specific action, sample messaging, who to tag, resources and more.



Friday September 22
  • Join national call with Senator Casey’s staff, CCD experts, and other advocates at 2pm EST
  • Call-in number: 1-719-457-0816.  Guest code is 751-426# 
Monday September 25
  • CCD National Call-in Day. Everyone needs to participate; spread the word and share the Facebook event! 
  • Finance Committee hearing at 2 pm EST. 
  • In DC or not, use this email to submit testimony for the hearing:  GCHcomments@finance.senate.gov.  This is where groups and individuals can send letters, testimony, video links, photos, stories, etc. Deadline for submission is Monday at 9 am EST. Format: On the first page include title and date of the hearing, and the full name and address of the individual or organization.

Ongoing
  • Make an appointment
  • Schedule in-person meetings with your Members of Congress to talk to them about the importance of Medicaid to you and the lives of people you care about.
  • Not sure how to make an appointment? Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office where you can schedule an appointment.
  • Find your Members of Congress. All you need is your zip code. 
  •  If you can’t meet in person, call

    Call multiple times throughout the day! You can call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or use the SEIU toll-free number 866-426-2631, to be connected directly with your Senator or Representative who is a target.

    See this factsheet about calling your elected officials.
  • Share your story

    Tweet, Facebook, write letters, and send short videos to your members of Congress with stories of how cuts to Medicaid will severely impact people with disabilities, seniors, women and children, and low-income Americans. See a list of sample messages below, and find your members of Congress here.

 

Social media tips

1. Use the list of suggested tweets below, and tag your member of Congress:

Good: Start the tweet with their twitter name: a semi-private conversation. This directs the tweet to the person, but restricts the number of people who see it. The person will get a notification that you’ve tweeted them, but only the people who follow both you and the person will see the tweet.
  • Example: .@[mysenator]: cutting and capping Medicaid is dangerous for PWD. #SaveMedicaid
Better: Put their twitter name somewhere else in the tweet: A public statement. All your followers and all the person’s followers will see the tweet, and the person will get a notification that they’ve been mentioned in your tweet.
  • Example: Cutting and capping Medicaid is dangerous for PWD. @[mysenator] #SaveMedicaid

2. Change your Twitter and Facebook Images
Declare your support by changing your Twitter and Facebook cover images and frame in support of #SaveMedicaid. Download these customized images from https://www.flickr.com/gp/aucd/m491v4

While logged in to Facebook:
1.    Go to the profile picture frame feature
2.    Click on the menu to the left of your profile picture
3.    Select the frame you would like to add
4.    Click Use as Profile Picture to save

Sample Tweets

Cutting and capping Medicaid is dangerous for PWD #SaveMedicaid #ProtectOurCare

Premiums will increase. PWD will lose coverage. Vote no on #GrahamCassidy #SaveMedicaid

Medicaid helps PWD live lives like everyone else #SaveMedicaid #ProtectOurCare

We cannot go back to a time when people with pre-existing conditions were discriminated against. Vote no on #GrahamCassidy

Estimated 32 million will lose coverage under #GrahamCassidy @YourSenator #VoteNO

#GrahamCassidy ends Medicaid expansion providing coverage for 11 million people #ProtectOurCare

#GrahamCassidy per capita caps cuts coverage for children and people with disabilities

#ProtectOurCare#GrahamCassidy ends protections on pre-existing conditions and lifetime caps.

#VoteNO @YourSenator #ProtectOurCare

#GrahamCassidy adds millions to uninsured, destabilizes marketplace @YourSenator

Do not vote on #GrahamCassidy before getting a CBO score; committee markup @YourSenator

#GrahamCassidy Would Reduce Federal Funding to States by $215 Billion @Senator

Per Capita Caps and Block Grants shift costs to states #SaveMedicaid. No to #GrahamCassidy

#GrahamCassidy hurts women’s health @YourSenator #ProtectOurCare


#GrahamCassidy hurts women’s health @YourSenator #ProtectOurCare

#GrahamCassidy harms people with disabilities @YourSenator http://bit.ly/2yfJd1g #VoteNo

The rushed process of #GrahamCassidy is not regular order. #VoteNo

Who to tag?

Definitely tag Washington Senators Murray and Cantwell in your social media posts. Also tag your representative in the U.S. House.

See all US Senators Twitter handles
See all US Representatives Twitter handles
U.S. Senator Twitter IDs and Facebook pages

If you want to reach leaders outside of Washington, here are leaders advocates are focusing on:

Top Priority
  • Maine: Senator Collins
  • Alaska:  Senator Murkowski
  • West Virginia: Senator Capito
  • Ohio:  Senator Portman
  • Arizona: Senator McCain

High Priority
  • Arizona: Senator Flake
  • Colorado: Senator Gardner
  • Kansas:  Senator Moran
  • North Carolina: Senators Tillis and Burr
  • Iowa: Senators Grassley and Ernst
  • Indiana: Senator Young
  • South Dakota: Senator Rounds
  • North Dakota: Senator Hoeven
  • Tennessee: Senators Alexander and Corker

 

Other resources

  • Sign up to stay informed, with CCD. Email cgrosso@aucd.org to be added to the list.
  • Information on how Medicaid caps would impact people with disabilities, what it would mean in your state, and what you can do –  www.protectourmedicaid.org 


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