The ARC Fights to Protect Medicaid

Medicaid is critical for individuals with special needs. It pays for things no one else will pay for and it has recently come under fire. The Arc is working to protect Medicaid for its constituents. It is activating advocates to protect services for the disability community. It is also seeking donations to further its efforts.

The Arc says that Medicaid makes life in the community possible because it pays to assist with home and community based services no one else funds. “The federal/state Medicaid program is the major – and usually the only – source of funding for long term supports and services (LTSS) that many people with I/DD rely on to live in the community.”

In an interview with the Modern Medicaid Alliance, Nicole Jorwik, the Senior Director of Public Policy for the Arc, said:

Some of the programs that Medicaid provides come through the home and community-based services waiver. Medicaid is structured in a way where there are mandatory and optional services. Mandatory services include things like nursing homes, institutional care and a lot of other health programs. Optional services include things like home and community-based services. These optional services provide the support that many people with disabilities rely on heavily. These are provided through waivers in different states, providing services like job coaches, personal assistants, residential services, and the core services that help an individual be productive members of their communities.

Partners In Health says that if Medicaid is slashed, then “36.8 million children, 7.2 million seniors, 8.4 million adults with disabilities, and 13.9 million people with mental illness or substance use disorders receiving health insurance through Medicaid would be harmed.”

As part of its effort to protect the disability community, the Arc says disability knows no party lines and neither does the Arc. It works with Republicans and Democrats.

• Over 2,000 advocates have joined the Arc’s webinars to take action.
• 577 chapters are driving local change with Arc toolkits and resources.
• Arc advocates have sent more than 100,000 messages to members of Congress to urge them to protect health care and services.
• On Capitol Hill, the Arc policy team is working daily to ensure lawmakers understand what’s at stake.