Eliminate the institutional bias in Medicaid

September 18, 2011

For Information contact:
Bruce Darling (585)370-6690
Rahnee Patrick (312) 320-5111
Bob Kafka (512) 431-4085

http://www.adapt. org

Open Letter About Medicaid to President Obama from ADAPT

Dear President Obama

The ADAPT Community has spent over 20 years working to eliminate the institutional bias in Medicaid. This institutional bias has forced millions of Americans into institutions because institutional services are an entitlement while community based services that provide supports in our own homes is optional. We have achieved systemic Medicaid reforms that have freed many of our brothers and sisters from oppressive institutions. While the institutional bias still exists in Medicaid, thousands of Americans now are able to use Medicaid optional programs in their state to find freedom from those institutions.

You say that you want to make modest "adjustments" to Medicaid which can only mean cuts. We know the programs that always face cuts first are the "optional" programs particularly those that provide services that have freed thousands Americans from oppressive and costly institutions.

You can use other words like "administrative changes", "leveling the F-MAP", or other terms, but lets not mince words, seniors and PWDs will pay the price. We will pay for such savings with our freedom, and quite possibly our lives.

We cannot support a leader that proposes Medicaid cuts that will cost us our freedom and jobs.

We demand that there be no arbitrary Medicaid cuts. Instead we support REAL Medicaid Reform. There are ways to protect our freedom and save money and more importantly end the institutional bias in Medicaid by:

* Expanding the use of community based services
* Demedicalizing services
* Expanding consumer directed options
* Reorganize Medicaid services to eliminate wasteful bureaucracy.

We urge you to include this approach and these prinicples in any plan that you develop to address the deficit.

The ADAPT Community