Washington, D.C. – As reports circulate of further attacks on Medicaid and Social Security — programs that are vital to the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families — The Arc is preparing for battle to stop these threats in their tracks. Federal agencies have proposed regulatory changes to cut the Medicaid and Social Security programs, and just this week President Trump made comments to CNBC highlighting plans to cut these programs “toward the end of the year.”

Medicaid and Social Security could be on the chopping block. Yet these programs are essential for the health, well-being, and community inclusion of millions of people with IDD and their families. Medicaid is the nation’s primary health insurance program for people with disabilities, and funds vital supports to keep them in their communities. Social Security insures individuals and family members for when a worker retires, dies, or acquires a qualifying disability. Many people with disabilities depend solely on their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and related health coverage for their basic survival. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) assists workers with qualifying disabilities, their children, and spouses. All of these programs are important to people with IDD and their families.

“Cutting Medicaid and Social Security would be devastating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, and we will fight with everything we have to protect these critical programs. There are millions of people with disabilities, their parents, siblings, family members and friends who all agree — we can’t turn back the clock on 70 years of progress we have made in including people with IDD as valued members of our community and supporting them to realize their full potential. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities should have the opportunity to live fair, full, and promising lives, and have access to the services, supports, and income support to do so,” said Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc.

The Arc advocates for and serves people wit­­h intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of over 600 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with IDD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.