Political Quotes

“I rise to discuss a bill I will be introducing, the Transition to Independence Act. The bill is a Medicaid demonstration program that will give incentives to States to achieve more integrated employment for people with disabilities. The Federal Government funds a hodge podge of programs that provide supports for people with disabilities. However, the largest of all programs providing supports for people with disabilities, the Medicaid program, could do much more to drive better outcomes. The Medicaid program provides critical supports for people with disabilities including primary health care and home and community-based care. This bill is unique in that it uses the resources of the Medicaid program to drive better outcomes for people with disabilities. Our public policy encourages people with disabilities to participate in society, to live in the community and to have integrated employment. But what does the government do to encourage that outcome? What does government do to insure that all people with disabilities have the opportunity to achieve their maximum participation? I would argue, not enough. The program that is the largest funder of supports for people with disabilities is Medicaid. Unfortunately, Medicaid funding to States is in no way tied to producing better outcomes. Now I know we cannot just snap our fingers and make it so. The Federal Government cannot just order the States to do better.…”