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Protecting Medicaid

APSE stays abreast of threats to Medicaid by monitoring work on Capitol Hill, meeting with policymakers and likeminded advocacy organizations, and monitoring news and discussion of potential changes. We keep our members updated on progress and potential pitfalls through social media our electronic newsletters, Practice & Policy and Notes from the Executive Director. And, when Congress needs to hear from their constituents, APSE notifies our members through Action Alerts that provide step-by-step guidance and easy-to-use links to elected officials.

To learn more about our work on public policy, please visit our Public Policy Agenda.

Steps Everyone Can Take to Protect Medicaid

  • Stay informed. Medicaid is undergoing significant changes through state waivers that impact people with disabilities. Some states have applied for changes in their 1115 state waivers that allow work requirements as a condition of receiving Medicaid benefits.
  • Join APSE! Read Practice & Policy each month and follow through on Action Alerts.
  • Ensure that everyone understands why Medicaid matters.  A Self-Advocate's Guide to Medicaid is a plain-language resource for understanding the complexities of Medicaid and why it matters for employment.
  • Armed with what you know, you can:
    • Talk to your neighbors about Medicaid: You are informed about Medicaid because it directly affects you and your loved ones. Remember that many of your friends and neighbors may be less informed. Find gentle ways to show them what Medicaid means to you.
    • Attend Town Halls: Express your concerns in person to your representatives and local politicians. Encourage friends to go with you. A full calendar of Congressional Recesses can be found here.
    • Submit an Op-Ed to your Local Paper: Detail your personal story and how proposed reforms would impact you or someone close to you. (For an example, see APSE (then) Executive Director Allison Wohl’s powerful op-ed).
    • Approach Your Legislator (state or federal): Attend local events and tell your story. If possible, get a picture with your legislator and post on social media.
    • Request meetings with your state governor’s office: Tell him or her what that means for you or for the individual with disabilities in your life.
    • Build a coalition: Groups who work on aging, poverty, and healthcare share our values. Work together for a common cause.
    • Use social media: Put a human face on the issue by creating videos to post on social media channels. Send your videos to local TV and radio stations.
    • Show, don’t just tell: Plan a Take Your Legislator to Work day event with your APSE Chapter and/or within your organization to show your policy makers the importance of employment in your community.
    • Share APSE’s Medicaid fact sheet, Medicaid Puts People to Work.
    • Share the Kaiser Family Foundation’s state-by-state numbers on Medicaid.

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