Federal Focus - June 2010

Take Action!

Ask Congress to Extend Assistance for Medicaid and COBRA
The Senate will soon consider the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213), which the House passed just before Memorial Day. With the help of MS Activists, this legislation currently prevents payment cuts for physicians participating in Medicare through 2011. Two vital provisions, however, were stripped out: 1) a six-month extension of state Medicaid fiscal relief; and 2) an extension of COBRA premium assistance to help unemployed workers maintain health insurance. While the Medicaid provision has been restored, both need ardent support to survive the upcoming Senate vote.

Write your Senators today and urge them to support a six-month extension of state Medicaid fiscal relief and an extension of COBRA premium assistance. Both of these provisions are critically important to ensure that people living with MS and other chronic conditions maintain health insurance coverage and the ability to access needed care and therapies. Medicaid fiscal relief is also a proven way to stabilize state budgets and promote economic growth. Take action today and write your Senators!

High Risk Pools Enacted in Health Care Reform to Begin Operations
On or around June 21, 2010, a major and very visible provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes into effect, when temporary high risk pools begin operation. The temporary high risk pools will offer comprehensive health insurance to US citizens and legal residents with a pre-existing condition and who have not had 'creditable' health coverage for the past six months. These will be separate high risk pools from those currently operating in 33 states.

Costs related to qualifying individuals' pre-existing conditions will be covered immediately and at least 65% of all health costs must be covered by the pool. Although out-of-pocket costs will be capped at $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families (excluding premiums), exact costs, benefits and other details will not be known until closer to the launch date.

For more information on high risk pools, locate and contact your state department of insurance.

National MS Society Supports Additional Funding for National Institutes of Health
The National MS Society is supporting a request by the research community to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $35 billion for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011--an 11.9% increase over FY 2010. The NIH is single largest source of biomedical research funding in the world but it has been losing purchasing power over the last few years as its funding has not kept up with medical inflation costs. In addition, the two-year $10.4 billion allotment for NIH funding from the stimulus bill is closing at the end of 2010. As a result, the NIH is facing a drop in funding in FY 2011. In an effort to maintain the level of research at NIH for diseases including MS, the National MS Society is asking Congress to sustain an investment in NIH as they make funding decisions for the following year. Stay tuned for ways that you can help to advocate for additional research funding at NIH!

Help Restore State Medicaid Relief

Take Action!

MS activists have been successful in helping to prevent a devastating cut to physicians participating in Medicare through 2011. Legislation currently being considered in Congress fortunately prevents this cut, but another vital provision must be restored. Call your U.S. Senators today and urge them to restore a six-month extension of increased federal Medicaid assistance to states. Enter your zip code and you will be provided talking points. Use the toll-free number 1-888-340-6521 to be connected with your U.S. Senators.

Medicaid provides health and long-term care coverage to more than 59 million Americans, including many people living with disabilities. With the rise in unemployment during troubled economic times, more Americans rely on Medicaid to help cover their health care costs. At the same time of enrollment growth, state budget pressures swell as revenues decline.

To help avoid drastic cuts to health services, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in 2009 provided significant federal assistance to state-run Medicaid programs. This fiscal relief prevented harmful budget cuts, saved jobs and protected the healthcare coverage of those in need. The economic situation remains dire, however, and since states are currently planning their FY 2011 budgets, Congress must take immediate action to extend federal Medicaid assistance.

There is great support for extending federal Medicaid assistance. In March, the Senate passed a six-month extension of the Recovery Act's enhanced federal Medicaid match. The House just passed a similar bill, but the Medicaid provision was removed. It is up to the Senate to quickly correct this omission.

Call your U.S. Senators today and urge them to immediately restore and pass the six-month extension of the increased federal Medicaid assistance. Use the toll-free number 1-888-340-6521 to be connected with your U.S. Senators. When you are connected with your Senator's office, tell the office:

* As your constituent, I urge the Senator to restore and pass a six-month extension of the increased federal Medicaid assistance.
* Medicaid provides health benefits to those hardest hit by the recession. As unemployment rises in the troubled economic times, Medicaid enrollment rises at the same time as state budgets are extremely strained.
* Medicaid fiscal relief included in the Recovery Act prevented harmful budget cuts, saved jobs and protected healthcare coverage of many in need.
* Medicaid assistance to states must continue. Restoring Medicaid funding for states is good for the Medicaid program, the health of state budgets, and the national deficit.

To keep future MS activism messages out of your junk folder, add the following address to your contacts or safe sender list: MSActionNetwork@nmss.org