Stop Medicaid Cuts

The American Health Care Act currently being negotiated in the U.S. Senate jeopardizes healthcare for our students with disabilities and students in poverty. Children constitute approximately 44 percent of the Medicaid beneficiaries but only about 19 percent of the costs. The new proposal restructures Medicaid to a per capita cap system. The proposal will cap federal funds and directly shift healthcare costs to the state even though health needs and costs of care will remain the same or increase. State and local communities will have to compensate for the federal disinvestment in our children’s healthcare. If we cannot adequately make up the difference in federal funding, providers will be forced to cut eligibility, services, and benefits to our students.

Under the current proposal, districts would no longer have to consider schools as eligible Medicaid providers, leaving us with the same obligation to provide services for students with disabilities under IDEA, but no Medicaid funds to provide medically-necessary services. Basic medical screenings covered by Medicaid to identify vision, hearing, and mental health problems of students would no longer be possible making it more expensive to treat and reducing access to services. School districts are already significantly understaffed by nurses, counselors and therapists. These critical staff will be reduced without federal funds to supplement their salaries.

ACSA is asking you to call our California United States Senators to express opposition to the federal per capita system and how it will impact your students.

• Senator Feinstein:
  • Fresno: 559.485.7430;
  • Los Angeles: 310.914.7300;
  • San Diego: 619.231.9712 or
  • San Francisco: 415.393.0707.
• Senator Harris:
  • Sacramento and Fresno: 916.448.2787;
  • Los Angeles: 213.894.5000;
  • San Diego: 619.239.3884 or
  • San Francisco: 415.355.9041.

Please contact Laura Preston at lpreston(at)acsa.org should you need any assistance.