UNPRECEDENTED BUDGET CUTS PROPOSED!!! take action IMMEDIATELY We must act now to prevent a complete breakdown of the services that we rely on in the community like local inpatient beds, community support, and residential subsidies. Take action - call and email your legislator and tell them the impact this will have on your life and the lives of your family members. Let's protect PEOPLE FIRST Let's run the numbers Why are these cuts happening? The Health and Human Services (HHS) Subcommittee of Appropriations met yesterday, and they made another $255 M in cuts to bring the HHS budget cuts to nearly $4 Billion over the next two years. They had left out the costs of the medicaid county share that is transferring from the county to the state. Our current budget in NC adopted last year is $21.35 Billion, but next year's revenues are only expected to be $l7.6 Billion; thus the shortfall. Also, with increased costs of education, health care, and other expenses, the lawmakers needed to come up with another $4Billion in cuts Is it fair? A point was made that Health and Human Services is making up 50% of the cut, while they constitute 23% of the total budget- THESE CUTS ARE NOT FAIR. The budget for the Division of MHDDSAS has been reduced by 74M in 2010 and $91M in 2011 The specifics (with an emphasis on the services that will most impact consumers) - $4.5M each year of the biennium in state operated services(hospitals)
- $4 M in community service reductions each year of the biennium
- #66 - $l.l5M reduction (nonrecurring) in funds for rental subsidies (310 rental units up for occupancy in 2010)
- #121 Reduce community Support by $59 M in year one, $116 M in year two (no replacement for this service is proposed)
- #118 - Provider rate reductions (5.5% in 2010, 6% in 2011 - may destabilize service system)
- Loss of 8M in inpatient hospital local build up (just when it was starting to take hold)
- #125 Implement a preferred drug list to save $40 M year one, $50 M year two (restricts access)
- #128 Dental Coverage- reduces tihs optional medicaid service by $l6 M first year, $20M second year
- #133 Increase co pays on services (another barrier) by $2 per co pya ($3 M in 2010, $3.7 M in 2011)
- #122 Eliminate PT/OT/Speech $2.7 M as optional medicaid service
- #143 Eliminate MH Residential services, therapeutic camps for kids $l.5 M year one, $2.2 M year two)
- #85 - Reduce State/county special assistance rates effective October l, 2009 ($3M year one, $4.3 M year two)
- #120 Reduce Personal Care Services in Adult Care Homes ($l0M both years) and modify to reduce utilization ($49 M year one, $62M year two)
Note: There is no bill number, this is from a proposed money report dated June 2 put out by the HHS Subcommittee on appropriations. Full details to eventually be posted on line and on NAMI NC web site The Timing June 4, Thursday- vote expected at the HHS Subcommittee of appropriations (that's right, tomorrow!!) Next week (week of June 8th) - Goes to full appropriations for consideration on the House side Week of June 15 - Will probably proceed to the full House Conferees- will look at negotiating a version acceptable to the House and to the Senate It's not over till the final gavel drops!! Talking points - These cuts are a pipeline to prison, poverty, and patient deaths
- It will take people and programs decades to recover
- People will be harmed, and some will die
- These cuts bring with them hidden costs- when the local services aren't there for people, they all to often land in an emergency room (more expensive), jail or an institution (more expensive)
- Our hospitals will decline again through staffing cuts, and we'll be at risk of losing accreditation (more expensive)
- Economic stressors lead to an increased demand for help and services- this is not the time to cut those very things people need more now than ever
- Tie in your personal story and how it will impact your life
- Consumers need access to a full range of medications- they are uniquely vulnerable, the drugs are uniquely important to their recovery, and the lack of access to drugs has been found to be costly (more expensive) The costs include data showing that over 50% of people in one state had trouble getting their drugs, one in 5 had an increase in adverse reqctions, and 3% actually became homeless! All this does is achieve poorer health outcomes
- NAMI NC supports revenue improvements to preserve services for our most vulnerable services. We have signed on to Together NC which advocates for removal of corporate loopholes, an addition couple of tiers on our progressive income tax, and consideration of service taxes. Preserve NC as the positive place to live for families by protecting our infrastructure of services.
Who do I call, What do I do? - Consider a trip to Raleigh, or contact your legislator at home
- Act NOW- they vote tomorrow at HHS subcommittee- send an email to the leadership of HHS Appropriations
- Contact your local legislator because it will get to the full house floor, even if they don't serve on the HHS Appropriations subcommittee
- If you legislator serves on the full appropriations call AND write them to oppose these cuts
- Use the link above to contact info on your legislator
- INitiate a telephone tree within your affiliate to get EVERYONE to call and write
- If you have an affiliate meeting, write letters while you are there
- Send me personal stories that I can use
- Work both sides, Senate and House. They must eventually agree on one budget
Full House Appropriations leadership: Michaux (Durham), Adams, Alexander (Mecklenburg), Crawford (Granville)(, Haire, Jeffus, Tolson, Yongue Vice Chairs: Bordsen, Cole, Earle (MEck), England, Fisher, Glazier, Goforth, Harrison, Insko, Love, Martin, McLawhorn, Owens, Pierce, Rapp, Underhill, E Warren and Womble HHS Subcommittee on Appropriations Chairs: Earle (Meck), England, Insko (orange) Members: Barnharet, Farmer-Butterfield, Brisson, Burr, Burris-Floyud, Dollar, Neumann, Stewart MH is taking far too great a share of the cuts being proposed Take Action Make a Difference. Do it Today .Deby Dihoff, MA, Executive Director | Balancing the Budget- it will take more than cuts
Did you know that North Carolina's tax code last received an overhaul at the time of the Depression? Well, it's that time again. And let's make it fair and sufficient to maintain the great services and infrastructure that makes this state such a great place to call home. At this time of crisis, it is essential that lawmakers do all within their power to preserve key public services - especially those that are of direct benefit to people in need and that help rebuild our economy. We simply can't balance the budget with service cuts alone -- The huge state budget shortfall makes some painful service cuts inevitable. It is critical that the House follow the lead of the Governor and the Senate and raise some new revenues to help plug the shortfall. - Spending is not our problem. - "The reality is that spending per person is actually down from nine years. This is a fiscally conservative state, and we don't go on spending sprees.
- Taxes on the wealthy are better than cuts to essential services - When it comes to stimulating the economy (and preserving economic activity) during a recession, economists confirm that while new taxes should be used sparingly, they are better than cuts to essential services. These economists also confirm that to the extent that new taxes are a part of the equation, they should target those with the greatest ability to payl
- Avoid quick fixes that only postpone the pain - To the extent lawmakers make new revenues a part of the solution, it is important to make them progressive revenues that will grow with the economy as it recovers. Simply relying upon regressive sources that tend to shrink over time (like tobacco and alcohol taxes) will just put us back in the same place in a couple of years.
- Build on the Senate's recent action - The Senate has done a good job of jumpstarting a long overdue discussion over North Carolina's tax system. Its basic approach - broadening the base and lowering rates - makes good sense. The House should build on the Senate's proposal by closing corporate loopholes and improving the progressivity of the personal income tax. The proposed revenue plan of the N.C. Budget and Tax Center ought to be the model.
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