Urge Legislators to Extend the Increase in Medicaid Funding (FMAP)
The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included a temporary increase in federal Medicaid matching funds (called FMAP) to help alleviate state budget pressures and prevent additional cuts to Medicaid funded public mental health services during the current economic downturn. This increase in Medicaid funding ends in December of 2010 but states continue to face extraordinary difficulty balancing their budgets for the next fiscal year. As a result, many are considering additional cuts to the Medicaid budget, including services for children and adults living with mental illness as they develop their 2011 budgets. Moreover, without federal support for Medicaid programs, states will not have the resources they need to successfully implement health reform.
The House and Senate have both passed legislation to extend this enhanced rate of federal funding for Medicaid for six months, from January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011. But, unless final legislation extending this increase is enacted soon, states will be forced to make deep cuts in the benefits they cover and in reimbursement rates.
Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Gene Green (D-TX) and Lois Capps (D-CA) are circulating a letter urging House and Senate negotiators to finalize a bill extending this increase and send it on to the President for his signature.
Take Action Now!
Urge your House members and Senators to take action in support of extending the Medicaid FMAP increase.
For the House of Representatives:
Call your Representative – either by calling the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-2131 and asking to be connected or dialing their office directly.
Send an e-mail to your House member. Urge your Representative to sign on to the FMAP Dear Colleague letter being circulated in the House by Representatives Pingree, Baldwin, Green and Capps.
For the Senate:
Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected with your Senator or dial their office directly and urge them to take action to ensure enactment of the Medicaid FMAP increase extension
Send an e-mail to your Senators.
