Tell VA's Members of Congress to Protect Medicaid!

Action Needed:

Tell Congress Not to Cut Medicaid Funding

Congress is still considering significant cuts to Medicaid as part of the budget reconciliation bill. VBCF continues to be concerned that cuts to Medicaid would cause millions of low-income Americans, including many breast cancer patients, to become uninsured while cutting payments to the hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other health providers on which all Americans rely. Rural areas, where cancer care is already difficult, would be among the hardest hit.

Nearly 2 million Virginians, or 1 in 5, depend on Medicaid/CHIP for their health care. In addition, because Virginia is a "trigger" state, if federal funding for Medicaid expansion falls below the current 90%, more than 630,000 Virginians will be automatically disenrolled from Medicaid.

Medicaid serves a crucial role in providing care for low-income women with breast cancer. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, enacted by Congress in 2000, provides enhanced matching funds to Virginia to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured or underinsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through Virginia's free screening program, Every Woman's Life (EWL). Any cuts to Medicaid could dismantle this life-saving treatment program.

The US House Energy and Commerce Committee will debate its part of the budget reconciliation bill next Tuesday, May 13. We need our Virginia Members of Congress to hear that cutting Medicaid funding is unacceptable!

Action Items:

Targeted Outreach:

Virginia Representatives Morgan Griffith (VA-09) and Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) are both House Energy and Commerce Committee members. If one of them is your Representative, please contact them ASAP! (The sample language is below; feel free to add or edit. You can also mention that you know they are on the Committee considering this bill on Tuesday, 5/13).

Wider Outreach:

Even if they are not on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, it's important that your Representative hears from you that you want them to Protect Medicaid Access. (sample language below).

ACTION NEEDED!

1) Call & Email Your U.S. Representative and Urge Them to Protect Medicaid!

Find Your Representative's Contact Information: Who's My Legislator?

SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:

"I am a breast cancer survivor/thriver/advocate from [city/town] and a constituent of Representative [FILL IN NAME]. I am asking HIM/HER to protect health care coverage for the nearly 2 million Virginians who need it most by opposing cuts to federal Medicaid funding. Medicaid helps low-income women get access to life-saving breast cancer treatment. Please stand with Virginians and preserve funding for the Medicaid program."

SAMPLE EMAIL:

Subject: Protect Medicaid Funding!

Dear Representative [FILL IN NAME]:

I am a breast cancer survivor/thriver/advocate from [add city/town] and your constituent. I am writing to ask you to protect health care coverage for the nearly 2 million Virginians who need it most by opposing cuts to federal Medicaid funding.

This issue is important to me because Medicaid helps low-income women in Virginia get access to life-saving breast cancer treatment. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, enacted by Congress in 2000, provides enhanced matching funds to Virginia to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured or underinsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through Virginia's free screening program, Every Woman's Life (EWL). Any cuts to Medicaid could dismantle this life-saving program. Please stand with Virginians and preserve funding for Medicaid.

Sincerely,

NAME

TOWN/CITY

THANK YOU!! For questions, contact Kirsta Millar

kirsta@vbcf.org or 804-285-1200 ext. 203.

www.vbcf.org | 1-800-345-8223