Ask Congress to Protect Medicaid
- T&G
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
Take Action Now to Prevent Medicaid Cuts!

The upcoming days are crucial as the Senate prepares to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — sweeping legislation that will profoundly reshape how healthcare access works for some of the most vulnerable Americans. Regardless of your political party, this is a vital opportunity for you to contact your Senators and urge them to oppose the damaging cuts to Medicaid contained in this bill. They'll be voting soon, so we must act fast.
Among the most concerning provisions are:
A reduction in the retroactive coverage period, and
An increase in the frequency of Medicaid eligibility redeterminations.
If enacted, the fallout from these changes will deny people coverage for medical expenses and nursing home care, and your voice is urgently needed to stop it.
Why Retroactive Medicaid Coverage Matters
Right now, Medicaid offers three months of retroactive coverage for people who qualify. That means if you’re eligible for Medicaid but can't immediately file your application — maybe because you were in a hospital bed, struggling to find help, or just didn’t know how to navigate the system — Medicaid can still cover up to three months of your past medical bills.
This protection is especially critical for:
Seniors entering nursing homes after a hospital stay
Adults with disabilities who suddenly lose private insurance
Low-income patients who face unexpected medical emergencies
Without retroactive coverage, a delay in applying for Medicaid can leave someone buried under tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt and nursing home bills — even though they were qualified for coverage.
What Are "Redeterminations" — and Why is Increasing their Frequency Harmful to Medicaid Recipients?
Medicaid redetermination is the process of confirming on-going eligibility for Medicaid. Right now, this happens annually in most states, including Indiana. But the One Big Beautiful Bill would require redeterminations every six months — doubling the paperwork, stress, and risk of wrongful termination.
Let’s be real: life is complicated, and most Medicaid recipients rely on family and friends during the application process because they're not in the position to manage it on their own. Also, people move, lose mail, or experience changes in their health. A small paperwork mistake — missing a document, a delay in processing — could cause someone to lose their health care coverage and be forced to reapply all over again.

This burden falls hardest on:
Elderly individuals in long-term care
People with disabilities
Family caregivers already stretched thin
Instead of catching fraud, redeterminations often catch people in moments of vulnerability — resulting in eligible individuals losing access to vital healthcare services they've already been deemed eligible to receive simply because they missed a deadline or forgot to send a certain document.
What You Can Do Today
If these changes go into effect, they won’t just impact abstract policy — they will directly harm elderly and disabled people in our communities. Voters must act now to let their Senators know about their strong opposition to these changes.
That’s why we’re asking you to contact your U.S. Senators right now and urge them to protect Medicaid:
Preserve the three-month retroactive coverage period
Keep redeterminations on an annual basis, not every six months
Healthcare is not just a line item in a budget — it’s a lifeline, and it shouldn't be made more difficult to access than it already is. Let’s make sure our laws reflect our desire to take care of our neighbors! If you haven’t yet contacted your Senators, now is the time to take action. If you've already reached out, we encourage you to do so once more before it's too late.
We're sharing a template from the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys you can use to make your voice heard. Personalizing the message with additional details is also recommended as is making sure to mention that you are one of the Senator's constituents.
Dear Senator [Last Name]:
As [an older adult AND/OR an individual with a disability/caregiver/concerned citizen] living in [city/town name], I want to urge you to vote against the harmful cuts to Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
These cuts will have a devastating impact on my life and affect my family as well. As one example, requiring states to determine every 6 months instead of every 12 months if I am still eligible for Medicaid will present a significant barrier to me. Gathering the required documents every six months to prove that I should remain eligible for Medicaid means [I will need to ask someone for help so I can access the documents OR I will need to ask someone for help to upload or file the documents OR I will need more reminders to ensure I file the documents on time and remain on Medicaid]. This may not sound like much, but it will make a real difference in my life. I am not an example of “waste, fraud, and abuse” — I’m simply a person who wants to stay on Medicaid to receive the health care I need, without my family or me having to worry about completing a lot of redundant paperwork every few months to do so.
I hope you will consider people like me when deciding how to vote on this bill. It will have real-life implications for me and other constituents. I strongly urge you to vote against it. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Mailing Address]
[Your Phone Number]
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