CALL YOUR SENATOR BEFORE MARCH 7 -- OR WE MAY LOSE MEDICAID FOR
PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS AND HIV

President Bush's proposed FY 2005-06 federal budget includes
$60 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next ten years, including
billions in direct cuts to case management programs that serve
thousands of Americans living with AIDS and HIV.

Cuts this big will translate straight into severe benefit and
eligibility cuts at the state level. States are already cutting
benefits and services to poor and disabled Americans. They will
make even more severe cuts to individual beneficiaries and
front-line service providers if Congress approves the Bush
Medicaid cuts.

Cuts this big could mean the end of Medicaid as we know it.
Congress could impose caps that would dismantle the entitlement
structure that protects consumers, and ensures comprehensive and
needed care is provided.

On March 7, the Senate and House Budget Committees will begin
work on a budget resolution that could protect Medicaid or
destroy it with huge funding cuts.

We have got to put the heat on Congress, especially our
senators, to get them to block any cuts or caps to Medicaid
funding.

Call your senators this week toll free at: (877) 762-8762, and
give them a simple message:

"I am calling to urge you to oppose a budget resolution that
contains any cuts or caps to the Medicaid program. Medicaid is
the single largest source of funding for HIV/AIDS care in
America, and hundreds of thousands of people living with AIDS
and HIV depend on it. Comprehensive, guaranteed health care
through Medicaid is a life-and-death issue for Americans living
with AIDS and HIV, and we oppose any attempts to weaken
Medicaid. Do not let Medicaid cuts into the budget resolution."

If you need help finding the names of your senators, go to
http://ga1.org/ct/47qEh741FPxr/VOTE_SMART.

Additional Information:
The HIV Medicaid/Medicare Working Group is a national coalition
of advocates working to protect and expand Medicaid and Medicare
for people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information about the
working group, email: theaccessproject@....

______________________________________________________________________
About NMAC in Action
A note on content: The information distributed through NMAC in
Action does not necessarily reflect the official view of the
National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC). Most information
circulated on the NMAC website and NMAC in Action is drawn from
secondary sources. The presence of the name or image of any
person on the NMAC website, or within this message, should not
be construed as an indication of their advocacy, or position on
the message's subject matter, unless specifically stated.

Expand your support for NMAC today! Visit our new online giving
pages to learn about the many ways you and your organization can
help NMAC continue and expand its work. And be sure to tour the
rest of the NMAC website to learn what's new with upcoming
conferences, technical assistance opportunities and
publications.

Need more information? Contact NMAC by e-mail: info@...;
telephone: (202) 483-6622; or postal mail: National Minority
AIDS Council, 1931 13th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-4432.

Subscription information: If you wish to unsubscribe to this
e-mail service, please send a reply to this message with the
word "REMOVE" in the subject line.
--------------------------------------------------

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://ga1.org/join-forward.html?domain=nmacactioncenter&r=YpqEh741EuMn

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
NMAC In Action at:

http://ga1.org/nmacactioncenter/join.html?r=YpqEh741EuMnE

--------------------------------------------------

This message was sent to hivtesting@yahoogroups.com. To modify your email
communication preferences or update your personal profile, visit
your subscription management page at:

http://ga1.org/nmacactioncenter/smp.tcl?nkey=buexn3zh7j3jjx

To stop ALL email from NMAC In Action, reply via email with
"remove" in the subject line, or use the following link:

http://ga1.org/nmacactioncenter/remove-domain-direct.tcl?ctx=center&nkey=buexn3z\
h7j3jjx

***********************************
Powered by GetActive Software, Inc.
Relationship Management for Member Organizations (tm)
http://www.getactive.com
***********************************