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Continue to Educate your Members of Congress on the importance of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program

Help people living in nursing facilities and other institutional settings move back into their community!

March 2, 2018

Though MFP was not included in the Omnibus spending package, advocates are encouraged to continue educating your Members of Congress on the importance of this program - particularly those members on the House Energy & Commerce Committee - in order to ensure that MFP is reauthorized and people with disabilities have access to their community. Please use this toolkit to help with your advocacy.

Background: MFP improves the lives of older adults and people with disabilities, and does so in a more cost-effective way than institutional settings. By favoring community-based services, states save money and see better outcomes for their residents. That's why nearly every state has participated in the program!

Independent evaluations have proven MFP improves the quality of life for individuals, and reduced Medicaid and Medicare expenditures by approximately 23%. Unfortunately, MFP expired September 30, 2016, and states are running out of funding.

As a result, states are scaling back their programs, reducing dedicated staff and crucial resources. Last year was the first time that the number of people transitioned to the community declined. Without action NOW, the program will lose progress.

Reauthorization Bills

Because of your advocacy, Senators Portman (R-OH) and Cantwell (D-WA) and Representatives Guthrie (R-KY) and Dingell (D-MI) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve and extend the program for five years: EMPOWER Care Act - S. 2227 and HR 5306.

Contact your Senators and Representatives to educate them on the importance of MFP in order to increase co-sponsors!

The talking points and suggested actions in the guide below can be used to help educate your Members of Congress on the positive impact MFP has on people with disabilities and older adults.

Talking Points

  • The Money Follows the Person Program brings people with disabilities and older adults back home to their communities.
  • The Money Follows the Person program gives people greater control over their lives.
  • Forty-four MFP states transitioned 11,217 new participants during 2016
  • MFP improves the quality of life for individuals, and reduced Medicaid and Medicare expenditures by approximately 23%
  • It's fiscally responsible! MFP improves the quality of life of individuals while saving states and the federal government Medicaid funding.
  • The program expired over a year ago. States have begun to scale back programs, pulling the rug out from under the people who need it.
  • Without additional funding, all states will run out of money by the end of this year.
  • Talk about why this is important for you or someone you know, and your state.
    • MFP frees people! MFP keeps families together! MFP reduces waiting lists!

Act Now!

ACTION 1: CALL

  • Call your Members of Congress. Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (TTY) and ask to be connected to your Senators and/or Representative.
  • Educate them on the importance of the EMPOWER Care Act that extends the Money Follows the Person Program.

ACTION 2: TWEET/POST

ACTION 3: EMAIL

  • Email your Members of Congress. Using the talking points above, craft an original email telling Congress to consider the proven effectiveness of MFP when making difficulty policy decisions in the coming weeks.
    • Money Follows the Person is a cost-effective strategy to support community living options for people with disabilities.
    • You can also use a pre-crafted email created by AUCD. By entering your zip code, the site will automatically address the message to your Senators. You're invited to personalize the message if you wish.

Sample Social Media Messages

Download sample graphics for use with #FundMFP

Facebook

  1. ACT NOW. Call your Senators and Representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the EMPOWER Care Act (S. 2227) and HR 5306
  2. It's always nice when an independent evaluation proves a program successful. Since 2005, the Money Follows the Person Program (MFP) has effectively helped older adults and people with disabilities move back home from care facilities. Your voice matters, so spread the word and get your friends and family to educate Senators on the program's success. #FundMFP
  3. Aging well is a group effort. The Money Follows the Person Program (MFP) has helped older adults and people with disabilities move back home after time in a nursing home or similar institution. Lend your voice to remind policymakers! #FundMFP

Twitter

  1. We're thrilled to see @SenRobPortman and @SenatorCantwell champion the Money Follows the Person Program. #FundMFP
  2. We're thrilled to see @RepGuthrie and @RepDebDingell champion the Money Follows the Person Program. #FundMFP
  3. There's no place like home. Lend your voice in support of older adults and people with disabilities! We need programs to help people transition to their homes from care facilities. #FundMFP
  4. Good work should never go unfunded. Tell Senators & Representatives the MFP program helps older adults and people with disabilities move back home after time in a nursing homes or institutions. Spread the word! #FundMFP #aging #health

Find and tag your Senators and Representatives to share the importance of funding the Money Follows the Person Program! You can find official accounts in this curated list from @cspan. #FundMFP

Questions?

Contact Christine Grosso at AUCD.