Dear Friends,

We are deeply concerned by cuts to Medicaid that are included in the legislation that passed the House Energy & Commerce committee this week. While the proposed cuts do not explicitly target disability services, there are substantial cuts proposed that will impact State Medicaid budgets and lead to even more red-tape and administrative work to confirm eligibility for services every 6 months.

When State budgets shrink, legislators often cut first from community-based disability services, because these services, unfortunately, are still often considered “optional.”

We at L’Arche know that Medicaid waiver services for people with disabilities are not optional: they are essential services and supports for people like our core members to live big lives in their own communities. It is L’Arche GWDC’s privilege and responsibility, as a faith community and an advocate for a more human society, to stand with our core members and people with disabilities in our nation in rejecting these proposed cuts to Medicaid.

Again, we encourage you to join us, alongside our partners at the Arc and ANCOR, to contact your local representatives and urge them to reject this legislation when it comes to the House Floor:
• The Arc Take Action Center
• ANCOR Advocacy Toolkit

We also ask that you please pass this message along to your friends and family across the country so that they too can get in contact with their local representatives.

Sincerely,
Alice Felker, Director of Human Services & Advocacy
Luke Smith, Community Leader | Executive Director