MY MEDICAID MATTERS RALLY TO DRAW MORE THAN A THOUSAND

For Immediate Release

September 21, 2011


Contact:

Janine Bertram (503) 622-6387
Bruce Darling (585) 370-6690
Rahnee Patrick (312) 320-5111
Marsha Katz (406) 544-9504



MY MEDICAID MATTERS RALLY TO DRAW MORE THAN A THOUSAND ADVOCATES TO 
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Who:  National disability and civil rights organizations
What: National rally on Medicaid reform
When: 12 noon, Wednesday September 21
Where: 1st and Penn NW, Peace Circle, west grounds of the US Capitol, 
       Washington, D.C.

Expected Congressional speakers:

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL)
Congresswoman Donna Christensen (D-VI)
Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO)
Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI)
Congressman Chris Murphy (D-CT)

Washington, D.C. - More than a thousand people with disabilities, seniors, 
family members, direct care workers and other allies will gather on 
Capitol Hill in Washington D.C at noon on September 21st to fight the 
Federal attack on Medicaid at the MY MEDICAID MATTERS rally. Members of 
Congress and national disability leaders will address the federal budget 
crisis and its potential to create a recipe for disaster for Medicaid 
recipients. People who rely on Medicaid will also speak about the impact 
of potential cuts on their daily lives.  Rallies will also be held the 
same day in at the offices of members of Congress in 15 cities across the 
country.

"Medicaid is the national safety net for millions of people," said Bob 
Kafka ofADAPT of Texas. "The Federal budget debate has largely overlooked 
the real impact of severe Medicaid cut backs. This rally is the single 
major national Medicaid advocacy event this year. Now, at last, we will be 
in the nation's capital to be heard in force, to let decision makers know 
that real budget reform means recognizing that Medicaid matters."

The rally also follows direct action by ADAPT on Monday and Tuesday, when 
54 advocates were arrested at the offices of House Republican Super 
Committee members Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Dave Camp (R-Michigan).  
"When certain legislators' idea of Medicaid "reform: is creating block 
grants to the states or undertaking ill-planned waste elimination 
measures, that demonstrates a real lack of political responsibility to 
ensure that vital services and supports reach the people who most need 
it," said Rahnee Patrick of Chicago ADAPT. "Every state administers 
Medicaid differently. Politicians need to talk to real people to make sure 
that Medicaid dollars work for the people who need it."

State coordinators have been recruiting attendees for months from as far 
as California, where Medicaid in-home services have been threatened 
annually with severe cuts. Several states will be sending in bus loads of 
advocates.  At least five states will be holding ralliesat the local 
offices of members of Congress; for a list, see 
http://www.adapt.org/main.medicaid_rally.local_rallies

Over ninety national organizations are working together to sponsor the 
rally. Bruce Darling of Rochester, New York, said, "People are sick and 
tired of being used as pawns by politicians with "austerity fever". Our 
lives are at stake as well as the livelihoods of our support workers. The 
Super Committee and the White House need to listen to what the rest of 
America needs."

ADAPT is also organizing a national call-in day for people around the 
nation to call their members of Congress to urge them to create real 
Medicaid reform.

For more information on the rally, visit www.adapt.org.  People can share 
the rally link http://www.adapt.org/main/medicaid_rally on Facebook and 
Tweet about the rally on Twitter using the hashtag #Medicaid.

Cities with same-day My Medicaid Matters rallies across the US:

Los Angeles, California
San Francisco, California
Chicago, Illinois
Parsons, Kansas
Billings, Montana
Butte and Helena, Montana
Glendive, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Farmington, New Mexico
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Austin, Texas

Sponsoring national organizations include:

1.    AAHD
2.    AARP
3.    ACCSES - The Voice of Disability Service Providers
4.    ADAPT
5.    American Association of People with Disabilities
6.    AmericanCongress of Community Support and Employment Services
7.    American Council of the Blind
8.    American Federation of State County Municipal Employees
9.    American Network of Community Options and Resources
10.   APRIL - Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living
11.   APSE
12.   ARC of the United States (The)
13.   ARCH
14.   National Respite Network (The)
15.   Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (The)
16.   Association of University Center on Disabilities
17.   Autism National Committee (The)
18.   Autistic Self Advocacy Network (The)
19.   Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
20.   Caring Across Generations Campaign (The)
21.   Center for NuLeadership
22.   Center for Self Determination (The)
23.   Coalition for Community Integration
24.   Community Catalyst
25.   Concrete Change
26.   Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
27.   Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (The)
28.   Disability Power and Pride
29.   Disabled Queers in Action
30.   Easter Seals
31.   Epilepsy Foundation
32.   Families Against Restraint and Seclusion
33.   Families USA
34.   GLSEN - Gay, Lesbian and Straight EducationNetwork
35.   Hand in Hand: the Domestic Employers Association
36.   Health and Disability Advocates
37.   Health Care for the Homeless
38.   Healthcare-Now!
39.   Hearing Loss Association of America
40.   Help-Your-Self
41.   Housing Works NY
42.   Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition
43.   Jews for Radical and Economic Justice
44.   Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (The)
45.   Leading Age
46.   Little People of America
47.   Lutheran Services in America Disability Network
48.   Mental Health America
49.   The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A)
50.   NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
51.   National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (The)
52.   National Association of the Deaf
53.   National Association for Homecare (NAHC)
54.   National Association of the Physically Handicapped
55.   National Center for Transgender Equality
56.   National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery
57.   National Consumer Voice for Long Term Care
58.   National Council on Aging
59.   National Council on Medicaid Homecare
60.   National Council on Independent Living
61.   National Council of Jewish Women
62.   National Disability Leadership Alliance
63.   National Disability Rights Network
64.   National Down Syndrome Congress
65.   National Federation of the Blind
66.   National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
67.   National Health Care for the Homeless Council
68.   National Hispanic Council on Aging
69.   National Legal Aid and Defender Association
70.   National Low Income Housing Coalition
71.   National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities (The)
72.   National Respite Coalition
73.   National Senior Citizens Law Center
74.   National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN)
75.   Not Dead Yet
76.   Paralyzed Veterans of America
77.   Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute
78.   Respect ABILITY Law Center (The)
79.   Public Health Institute
80.   Self Advocates Becoming Empowered
81.   Service Employees International Union
82.   Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders
83.   Special Needs And Parents (SNAP)
84.   TASH
85.   United Cerebral Palsy
86.   United Methodist Church: General Board of Church and Society
87.   United Spinal Association
88.   Vistability
89.   Voice for Healthcare
90.   Wider Opportunities for Women
91.   Youth Advocate Programs
92.   Visitability
93.   Voices For America's Children
94.   Voice for Health Care

For moreinformation about the Rally, go to
http://www.adapt.org/main/medicaid_rally

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FOR MORE INFORMATION on ADAPT visit our website at http://www.adapt.org/