Contact Your Members of Congress During their August Recess
August 4, 2005
Issue
It is anticipated that important legislation will be taken
up in September including Medicaid cuts. NASW is looking to
build support for three issues during the August recess, including
the Clinical Social Work Medicare Equity Act, the Medicaid
program, and Association Health Plans.
Action Requested
- Send a pre-drafted letter to your member through NASW’s
Congress Web at www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/grassroots/congressweb.asp
- Call
or fax your Members of Congress (you can find contact information
via NASW’s Congress Web (link above)
- Request
an in-person meeting with your Member of Congress during
the recess August 1-September 5. You
can find District office information on their Web sites
- Attend a Town Hall Meeting hosted by your Members of
Congress
If you make a phone call or set up a meeting, please let
us know via e-mail at advocacy@naswdc.org
Background
Medicaid cuts remain high on Congress's "To
Do" list next month. Congress adopted a budget resolution
this spring that directs the Senate Finance Committee and House
Energy and Commerce Committee to report out “reconciliation” legislation
making $10 billion in cuts over five years from Medicaid. The
committees plan to make these cuts by September 16, 2005 and
have been considering a number of cuts to reach their target.
One option would make large cuts in targeted case management
services, a service billed extensively by social workers. Other
cuts could be particularly damaging to Medicaid recipients
access to care. NASW members are urged to tell their Representative
and Senators that cuts in Medicaid should in part be shifted
onto programs other than Medicaid, and secondly, that any Medicaid
cuts should not compromise people's access to health care or
shift costs onto states. More information is available on NASW's
website at: http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/updates/080305.asp
The Clinical Social Work Medicare Equity Act has
been reintroduced as S. 1148/H.R. 2736 and more congressional
cosponsors are needed. The Act would restore the ability of
CSWs to bill Medicare Part B directly for services furnished
to skilled nursing facility patients nationwide. NASW needs
its members to contact their Representative and Senators and
ask them to cosponsor this legislation. U.S. Representatives
Pete Stark (D-CA) and Jim Leach (R-IA) and Senator Barbara
Mikulski (D-MD) are leading the legislation. More information
is on NASW's website at: http://www.naswdc.org/advocacy/alerts/060305.asp
Association Health Plans are now being considered
in the Senate as S. 406. Association Health Plans, which would
undermine healthcare in your state by creating a new type of
health insurance, will be free to eliminate your right to appeal
a denied claim, deny your access to trusted healthcare specialists
like ObGyns and cardiologists, and reduce or eliminate mental
health benefits. They may also increase your premiums - as
much and as often as they choose. The U.S. House of Representatives
recently passed the companion bill, H.R. 525, so it is critical
that your Senator hear from you during the August recess. More
information is on NASW's website at: http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/alerts/080405.asp
Check out NASW’s Legislative
Issues page for the association’s most current
information about these issues.
For additional information, please contact Dina Zarrella,
senior field organizer, at dzarrella@naswdc.org or
202-336-8218
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