PURSUANT TO THE RECENT ALERT, THE U.S. SENATE VOTED TO ALLOCATE  $20 BILLION TO ALLEVIATE STATES’ BUDGET PROBLEMS, WITH $10 BILLION OF THAT SUM ALLOCATED TO INCREASE FUNDS FOR ALL STATE MEDICAID PROGRAMS, INCLUDING LONG TERM CARE.

NOW WE NEED TO WORK ON THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – 
-- to urge them to support the provision in the Senate tax bill to provide fiscal relief for the states.  
The final legislation will not have Medicaid increases unless the House of Representatives agree to the Senate provision.

 Congress wants to finish work on this legislation by May 22nd (before the Memorial Day recess), so now is the time to weigh in with your Representatives!

Please, ASAP, contact your U.S. Representative to urge him or her to "accept" the Senate language providing $20 billion in help to the states (with $10 B for Medicaid).  You can use e-mail or reach your  Representative through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

The Senate tax bill would help state Medicaid programs through an increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). The total amount of fiscal relief would be $20 billion.  $10 billion will go toward general revenue sharing for the states -- with $4 billion of that $10 billion going straight to local governments. This temporary increase in the FMAP reflects the Rockefeller-Collins-Smith-Nelson (S. 138) bill, which advocates have been working so hard and so long to pass.

The Senate vote is a huge victory, but the fight isn't over yet. When the final Senate bill passes, it will go to a conference committee with the House of Representatives, where the two chambers will attempt to reach a compromise on the huge differences between their two bills. Unfortunately, the House has done nothing – ZERO --  in the way of providing Medicaid or state fiscal relief. The chambers are required to come to a compromise, and it is our fear that the state fiscal relief would be stripped or the amount reduced in the conference. So contact your Representative now and urge him or her to accept the Senate language providing $20 billion in help to the states.