[Julia B.]

Hi all,

I know not everyone here is fond of signing petitions, but I hope you'll consider this one, especially because the outcome will affect the elderly and disabled--mentally and physically--in our state and across the country. For all I know, it may affect you, either now or in a few years.

Before I give you the link to my petition, I'll paste in the text of it here and I'll add that there's an option for your name to appear as Anonymous. On March 19, I'll download and print out copies of the petition, which I'll send to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (in Maryland) and to Sens. Reid and Ensign. Here's the text, followed by the link--and my thanks for your consideration.

We, the undersigned, OPPOSE the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed rule, file code CMS-2232-P, which would allow the States to eliminate nonemergency medical transportation as a benefit under Medicaid. We urge Congress and all state officials to defeat this draconian measure that would
*Cut necessary services for 36 million Americans covered under Medicaid
*Eliminate rides to and from medical daycare centers for the elderly and mentally and physically disabled, further overburdening caretakers and depriving clients of the benefits of daycare
*Force the poor and the mentally and physically disabled to pay for specialized transportation, in which case, being on Medicaid and unable to afford the costs, they will go without necessary health services
*Will not save the States money in the long run but will instead increase the population of those who have no access to either necessary or preventive care and will flood already overburdened hospital emergency rooms
*Will cause destabilization of Medicaid healthcare services nationwide, further securing our sad distinction as the most unhealthy country in the industrialized world
*Will show the world that profit and greed is what drives our government, who care nothing for the people they were elected to serve

STOP Passage of CMS-2232-P Petition : [ powered by iPetitions.com ]