09/25/2017

Action Alert: Urge Sen. Portman to vote NO on Graham-Cassidy

ACTION NEEDED

A renewed effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is gaining momentum in the Senate. The Senate is expected to vote on Wed. (Sept. 27) on a bill sponsored by Senators Graham (R-SC) and Cassidy (R-LA). The Graham-Cassidy bill would repeal major provisions of the ACA (aka Obamacare) by:

• Ending the guaranteed coverage of substance use disorders and mental health treatment services 
• Cutting Medicaid, a critical lifeline for millions of Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness 

With very narrow margins in the Senate, it will only take three (3) Senators to stop the Graham-Cassidy bill from passing the Senate.

Senator Rob Portman is a swing vote who will play a large role in determining whether the Graham-Cassidy bill passes. Your voice is needed to shore up opposition to the Medicaid cuts and loss of benefit protections in Graham-Cassidy.

Please write Senator Portman or CALL (see number below) to let him know your concerns with the bill as an addiction medicine provider. Please see below for the phone number for Senator ’s office and a phone script for your use.

We need your help to defeat this legislation! Write and call your U.S. Senators today to urge them to oppose Graham-Cassidy. 

Senator Portman  - Phone: 202.224.3353

Sample call script:

• In the face of the opioid overdose and suicide epidemics, equal and affordable access to a full continuum of substance use disorder and mental health treatment services must be an essential component of health care coverage.
• Medicaid coverage is a critical lifeline for millions of Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. Cutting or capping Medicaid and ending the Medicaid expansion will be devastating to those who can’t afford health care in the private market.
• I respectfully ask that the Senator ensure that no American loses the access to life-saving substance use disorder and mental health treatment that they have today.
• Please vote NO on Graham-Cassidy.