May 23, 2017 (Raleigh, NC) - The Arc has released a video series which highlights how the House-passed American Health Care Act (AHCA), including Medicaid funding cuts, will negatively impact people with disabilities' capacity to live independently.

The video series features Bryan Dooley, self-advocate and member of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities from Lewisville, North Carolina. Dooley has relied on modest Medicaid benefits since birth for assistance with a variety of medical and other needs, including a personal attendant.

With Medicaid's support, Dooley graduated from college and maintains both paid and volunteer work. Because of Medicaid, Dooley and his personal attendant are both working people contributing to their community.

Recently, the US House of Representatives passed the AHCA, which included over $800 billion in cuts over 10 years to federal funding for Medicaid programs. The AHCA would not only force states to cut eligibility for state Medicaid programs, but also diminish the quality and quantity of services that are provided to current enrollees.  

For many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), Medicaid is generally the only source of funds for them to live and work in the community with friends and families.

"If I could say one thing to the President and the Congress, it would be my community has worked much too hard to move away from institutions. I will not let us go backwards; it is bad for me and bad for my country," says Dooley in the video.

"Bryan's lived experience and community-based contributions have greatly informed

the work of NCCDD and its efforts to improve the lives of individuals with I/DD in

North Carolina. Medicaid waivers, often the only provider of long term services and supports for individuals with I/DD, create the scaffolding of support Bryan needed to build success.  Thousands of North Carolinians just like Bryan are waiting forsimilar Medicaid supports," said Chris Egan, executive director of NCCDD. "The AHCA will likely add to those waiting for modest services and supports necessary for people with disabilities to live in inclusive and integrated communities." 

Dooley's video is the fourth in a series being released by The Arc. The videos tell personal stories of people with disabilities and their families, and the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid on their lives.

Watch the entire video series by The Arc of the United States here.