TAKE ACTION

Image via WikipediaHouse Panel Approves Moratoria on Medicaid Regulations!

April 11, 2008

Efforts in Congress to halt regulations that would undermine Medicaid financing of critical mental health services are moving forward. On April 9, an important House Subcommittee approved legislation (HR 5613) to impose moratoria on 7 separate Medicaid regulations. These regulations would severely hamper the ability of states to invest in services critical to the needs of people with serious mental illness. The bill would prevent these regulations from going into effect until April 1, 2009, when a new Administration will be in office.

A broader Senate companion bill to HR 5613 has been introduced by Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Their bill (S 2819) combines moratoria on all 7 regulations with $12 billion in fiscal relief for the states to deal with revenue shortfalls related to the current crises in the mortgage and credit markets. This includes a temporary across-the-board increase in each state’s Medicaid match rate.

ACT NOW!

NAMI supports the efforts in both the House and the Senate. Email Congress now and urge support of these bills. Urge your House member to support HR 5613 and efforts to stop regulations that would devastate funding for critical services for Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illness. Tell your Senators to support S 2819, which is an important step in preventing cuts to Medicaid at the state level.