News, Resources, Action

November 22 Update

Late Monday afternoon, the co-chairs of the bipartisan Super Committee announced that the panel had failed to find the required $1.2 trillion (or any amount) in deficit reduction measures. This news officially halted their talks two days before the committee’s Wednesday deadline to present a final plan.

In a joint statement, co-chairs Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) said, "After months of hard work and intense deliberations, we have come to the conclusion today that it will not be possible to make any bipartisan agreement available to the public before the committee's deadline." (See entire statement.)

The failure to reach an agreement will trigger automatic cuts, known as sequestration, which are scheduled to take effect in January 2013. The good news is that vital health programs such as Medicaid and Medicare are protected from sequestration. But the fight is not over. To read more about what this means for future budget battles, read our blog post.

If you're interested in what was proposed by Democratic and Republican members of the committee, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released analyses of the plans. See "Democrats Offer Significant Concessions, Plan Is to the Right of Bowles-Simpson and Gang of Six" and "Republican Plan Contains Minuscule Revenue Increase alongside Deep Cuts in Medicare and Medicaid."

Understanding the Issues

• Overview: Medicaid, the Budget, and Deficit Reduction: The Threat Continues
• Talking Points: Medicaid, Deficit Reduction, and the "Super Committee"
• Super Committee Profiles: The Super Committee: Where They Stand on Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act
• A Message to Congress and the Super Committee: “Don’t Just Cut Programs—Raise Revenues”
• To Build a Strong Affordable Care Act, Protect Medicaid

Taking Action

• Menu of Activities (events and actions)


• Legislative Leave Behind
  (a piece you can adapt to your state and organization and leave with legislators)


• Template Sign-On Letter:
  If you are interested in coordinating a sign-on letter in your state, please contact us at 202-628-3030 or stateinfo@familiesusa.org for a copy of our template.


• Sample Op-Eds you can try to place in local papers
• Medicaid and the Super Committee
• Medicaid and Jobs
• Medicaid and Caregivers
  
  
• Medicaid and Nursing Homes (an invoice illustration on Medicaid and the cost of nursing home care)


• Sample Email Action
  
  
• Sample Blog
  
  
• Twitter Petition

Please contact us at 202-628-3030 or stateinfo@familiesusa.orgif you have any questions about these materials. Also, please let us know if you need a resource, and we’ll do our best to either find or develop something for you.