Speaking the Truth Campaign

Medicaid is not just being cut. It is being reframed.

As the law cutting $1 trillion from Medicaid begins to take effect, states must make painful budget decisions that will redefine their care systems. At the same time, the administration is mounting a rapid-fire messaging campaign to portray these cuts as necessary to preserve Medicaid for those who “truly need it,” and paint this critical program as rife with “waste, fraud, and abuse.”

People with disabilities and their families are counting on us.

For many, their day-to-day existence relies on home and community-based services. The Arc’s advocates are the face and story of these services, and we need to ramp up our efforts to educate the public and policy makers.

Speaking the Truth is a dedicated, rapid-response communications campaign that will deploy the best tools, talent, and stories to ensure The Arc’s message — and the voices of people with IDD—inform the public debate on Medicaid in 2026 and 2027.

Three proven integrated strategies will drive the work:

• Public Opinion Pulse Check. Partner with respected research and polling experts to rapidly field a survey that provides critical insight into public opinion and message effectiveness.
• Narrative Monitoring & Analysis. Use cutting edge tools to monitor online conversations across social platforms and AI, understand how people talk about Medicaid and its impact, and identify narrative trends to inform our messaging and rapid response.
• Paid Digital Advocacy & List Building. Deploy targeted digital advertising in priority states, grow our advocacy lists, and drive email and SMS campaigns that turn complex policy into urgent, accessible calls to action.