Medicaid Resolution

WHEREAS, Medicaid provides health insurance coverage to millions of Americans and is essential for the continuation of reasonable health care for these citizens; and

WHEREAS, 24.8% of African Americans rely on Medicaid to obtain access to health care; and

WHEREAS, 23% of non-elderly Medicaid enrollees are African American; and

WHEREAS, diverse advocacy efforts are needed to ensure that we can maintain and expand this very vital safety net; and

WHEREAS, several states have submitted Medicaid waivers that have the potential to drastically reduce the number of racial and ethnic minorities who are covered under their Medicaid programs and some states have already made drastic cuts; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP encourages fully funding this much need program as a means to ensure access to high-quality affordable healthcare; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP stands opposed to further cuts and/or any programmatic changes that could limit access to critical health care services for Medicaid beneficiaries; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP calls for the Federal and State governments to use as an eligibility criteria nothing less than 200% of the federal poverty line; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP reaffirms its position that every American deserves excellent universal healthcare: and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will work for legislative protection of the existing Medicaid program and advocate for a budget that is inclusive of the needs of the Americans that rely on Medicaid for health insurance coverage.