Dear Health Advocates,

Congress is back in session this week as members return from their time in-district last week. The next recess is two weeks long, from April 14-28. In these next three weeks, the chambers will work to align on a compromised budget resolution, with both House and Senate Republicans looking to adopt a budget resolution — which paves the way for a full reconciliation package — by April 11 (prior to recess).

However, this timeline is ambitious, especially given that Congress has so far failed to meet their own expectations when it comes to the timing of the budget resolution. Families USA will continue to update you as this process moves forward. As a health advocacy community, we must continue to keep up the pressure and encourage members of Congress to reject ANY cuts to Medicaid and hold them accountable to their word to do so.

This week, there are a few opportunities to stay engaged, including our two new fact sheets on changing formulas for federal matching funds for Medicaid ("FMAP") and limiting state options to raise their share of funds to cover Medicaid beneficiaries, specifically restricting the use of provider taxes. See these resources and additional opportunities below:

• For Organizations
  • Provider Tax Fact Sheet
  • FMAP Fact Sheet

  • Health Action Resources Landing Page

• For Individuals
  • Reminder that you can join Families USA and email your members: Medicaid Defense Email Writing Campaign.
  • Use hashtags #HandsOffMedicaid or #HandsOffOurMedicaid on social media.

Finally, to celebrate the ACA turning 15 on March 23, we marked the occasion with a blog post detailing what's currently at stake for this critical program. You can find the insights column here.

Action Items

• URGENT! Families USA Email Writing Campaign: Protect and Defend Medicaid
• PARTNER SIGN ON: Please join SMFM, AMCHP, ACOG, and March of Dimes on a Congressional Maternal Health Medicaid Sign On Letter
• URGENT! Families USA Email Writing Campaign: Urge Congress to Take Action on Advanced Premium Tax Credits!
• TAKE ACTION: Submit your patient story on hospital pricing abuses to [email protected]
• TAKE ACTION: Join Our Health Justice Now Network

New Resources

• NEW! Families USA Fact Sheet: Medicaid Provider Taxes: Restricting Them Threatens Hospitals, the Health Care System and State Economies
• NEW! Families USA Fact Sheet: Medicaid Federal Funding: Cuts to Federal Share ("FMAP") Hurt Families, Providers and State Economies
• Partner Resource! CLASP Infographic: It’s a Cut to Medicaid No Matter What You Call It
• Partner Resource! Third Way Blog: Cuts to Medicaid Would Hurt Rural & Safety-Net Hospitals
• Partner Resource! Third Way Blog and Infographic: Why Work Requirements in Medicaid Won’t Work
• URGENT! Families USA Health Action Resources Landing Page

FUSA in the News

• NEW! The following publications quote Anthony Wright, Executive Director, as a result of his participation in Ethnic Media Services’ March 21 news briefing on proposed Medicaid cuts and the impact on communities of color:
  • La Opinion - Medicaid cuts will affect everyone's health, regardless of who they voted for. Latino and minority families will be among the most impacted, in addition to community clinics and all states
  • Peninsula 360 Press - Medicaid funding cuts would leave 70 million Americans without health care
• NEW! The Indiana Capital Chronicle quotes Sophia Tripoli, Senior Director of Health Policy, as a result of her testimony before Indiana's Senate Health and Provider Services Committee: Senators begrudgingly move hospital ‘price caps’ bill
• NEW! The New York Times quotes Cheryl Fish-Parcham, Director of Private Coverage - Obamacare Enrollees Could See Big Changes in 2026

Health Equity

• Families USA Insights: Over 65 million Women Are Counting on the FDA to Maintain Access to Mifepristone

• Families USA Insights: Transforming Care: Addressing Health Inequities and Pitfalls through Innovative Models of Care

• Families USA Analysis: Charting the Course for Community Health Workers: Identifying Challenges and Opportunities to Secure Medicaid Reimbursement for CHWs in State Medicaid Programs

Health Care Value

• Families USA Amicus Brief: Families USA Joins Public Citizen Amicus Brief to Defend Cost-Free Preventive Services
• Families USA Fact Sheet: Lay of the Land: Primary Care, Provider Payments and What’s Next
• Families USA Policy Agenda: Consumers First Legislative Agenda 2025: Policy Solutions for the 119th Congress to Drive Value into the U.S. Health Care System
• Families USA Testimony: New York State Site Neutral Payment Bill
• Families USA Affordability Agenda: Making Health Care Affordable: Reining In Health Industry Abuses To Lower People’s Costs and Generate Budget Savings

Health Coverage

• Families USA Fact Sheet: Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements: Bureaucratic Burdens That Threaten Working Families, Providers and Local Economies
• Families USA Video: Ensuring Accountability: A New Era in Medicaid Managed Care Oversight
• Families USA Policy Agenda: Achieving Transparency, Accountability and Quality in Medicaid Managed Care: A State and Federal Policy Agenda
• Medicaid 101 Fact Sheet and Handout: Medicaid Matters: To People, Our Economy and the Health Care System

Thank you for your tireless advocacy as we continue fighting for the best health and health care for all of America's families. To connect on shared advocacy efforts or let us know what you would like featured in upcoming Resource Roundups, please respond to this email or reach out at [email protected]! 

Have a great week,

Nate Keller

Partnerships Mobilization Associate

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