Followup on yesterday’s post. The My Medicaid Matters rally is underway. We’ve heard the number of organizational sponsors is over 90 now.
In the coming days, I’ll attempt to organize some material and media related to the rally and to ADAPT’s actions prior to the rally in Washington, DC.
I’m not sure how they’re doing it now, but back when there were fewer sponsor, every organization was given the opportunity to have a representative give a speech at the rally about 1 minute long.
Today, long-time NDY board member Dr. Mary Lopez, Ph.D. Here is the text of her prepared remarks:
My Medicaid Matters Rally – Speech by Dr. Mary Lopez, Ph.D.
Besides serving on the Board of Not Dead Yet, I’m the Executive Director of Independence Empowerment Center. We serve people with disabilities of all ages, including seniors. One of our most important programs gives people the knowledge and skills to hire and manage their own personal assistant, a worker who comes into their home to help with everyday needs like dressing and bathing and preparing meals. Personal assistance services are funded by Medicaid and they are the kind of long term care that keeps people out of nursing facilities so they can enjoy basic freedoms like everyone else. But Medicaid still forces too many people into nursing facilities against their will. It’s time to start saving money, not by cutting Medicaid, but by reforming it to reverse the institutional bias. I’ve heard people say they’d rather die than go to a nursing home. It’s not a home and no one should be locked up in one because they live in a state that doesn’t offer the choice of Medicaid personal assistance in a person’s real home. And no one should have to die because of Medicaid cuts that deny them basic health care. We’re going to fight to protect Medicaid. It’s a life and death issue and we’re Not Dead Yet!
You can follow the rally today at http://twitter.com/#!/NationalADAPT