There is good news on the Beacon Hill front, not only with the House and Senate Ways and Means budget developments, but a recent statement from Matthew Gorzkowicz, Governor Healey’s Secretary of Administration and Finance.
Worries about fiscal stability were stirred when April tax collections came in substantially lower than estimated. Speaking to an advisory commission, Secretary Gorzkowicz noted that “revenues overall are still trending quite high” compared to multi-year averages, and further highlighted “indicators of economic strength” like strong income tax withholding and sales tax revenue figures.
Now our advocacy in Massachusetts has to focus on taking the positive budget news and translating it into further action for persons who are still not back in day or similar services. Now that the new administration has settled in, we will carry that message further than we have since January. We also have the Senate Ways and Means committee’s language and funding for those needing 1:1 assistance.
But there is bad and worrisome news coming from the federal level. DC House Republican lawmakers may call for “large health care cuts, and Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) marketplace coverage are likely to be prime targets” according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (cbpp.org).
In late April, the US House passed HR2811, “The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023,” which includes radical new work requirements for Medicaid enrollees in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling.
This is a major worry for The Arc, as our constituents depend on Medicaid for long term supports and services – they don’t need or deserve more red tape.
Learn more and take action via this action alert from our colleagues in DC!
