Turning Our Attention to 2012...
Help Protect Access to Care!
As Mobilizer readers likely know, the 2011 budget is final, cutting $40 billion in federal spending. This included a $600 million reduction to the Health Center program for a final discretionary funding level of $1.59 billion. When combined with the $1 billion allocation from the Affordable Care Act, Health Centers received a total of $2.59 billion in FY2011. Thankfully, this is enough to maintain all current grants and keep all health centers open. Unfortunately, the reduction in annual funding will prevent (or delay) most planned expansions of health centers and HCH projects.
While the final cut to Health Centers is harmful to the underserved, it is better than the $1 billion cut originally proposed. Without the efforts of Mobilizer readers and other advocates, the situation could have been much worse. Thank you for your advocacy.
With the FY2011 budget behind us, the process for 2012 now is in full swing - and critical health programs remain under threat. Continued advocacy is needed to protect the Medicaid entitlement, support Health Center growth, and serve vulnerable individuals in permanent housing. |
Protect Medicaid:
Oppose Block Grants
A 2012 House budget resolution calls for the conversion of Medicaid from an entitlement to a block-grant to the States. Such a change would limit federal spending, shift costs to already-overburdened states, and potentially eliminate coverage for between 31 and 44 million Americans (Kaiser Foundation, 2011). Dramatic changes to the structure of Medicaid would undermine expansion efforts to take place in 2014. Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) has written a letter to President Obama in opposition of Medicaid block grants, and 34 Senators already have signed on. Your help is needed to secure additional signatories. |
Support Health Center Growth:
FY2012 Appropriations
The House of Representatives has called for $31 billion in additional cuts to discretionary programs as it begins the process of assembling a detailed budget. Given the desire of House leadership to strip funding from the Affordable Care Act, Health Centers remain a likely target. House members have until May 20 to submit desired programmatic funding levels to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. This is an important opportunity to highlight the critical importance of health centers and HCH projects.
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Serve the Most Vulnerable:
Extend HCH Services Beyond 12 Months
Under what is known informally as "the 12-month rule," HCH projects must transition most clients to other providers no later than 12 months after they have regained stable housing. The FY2012 Committee Reports provide an opportunity for Congress to clarify its intent regarding the length of time HCH services can be provided to a very vulnerable group of clients being served through innovative supportive housing projects such as "housing first." Many participants with lengthy histories of mental illness, addiction, and homelessness are not yet ready for transition after a year in housing. House members have until May 20 to submit language for the Committee Report.
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TAKE ACTION
- Find your Senators at www.senate.gov or call toll free at 1 (877) 210-5351. Call them this week and ask them to sign onto the Rockefeller letter opposing Medicaid block grants. Use the points in this letter to make your case for the threat a Medicaid Block Grant poses to states, providers, and beneficiaries.
- Find your House Member at www.house.gov or call toll-free at 1 (877) 210-5351. Call them this week and ask them to do the following by May 20:
- Submit a programmatic request to the Labor-HHS Subcommittee to fund health centers at $1.79 billion for FY2012, a $200 million increase over FY2011, but still $400 million below the FY2010 appropriation. This will allow some of the 800+ "New Access Point" grant applications from FY2011 to be funded and will expand access to millions more patients.
- Submit a report language request to the Labor HHS Subcommittee. The suggested language would allow HCH projects to serve individuals in permanent supportive housing for longer than 12 months and expand access to care in housing programs. Offer to email them the suggested language and/or the background for the request. If you or the member office has questions about the language, please contact Dan Rabbitt at 443-703-1337 or drabbitt@nhchc.org.
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