People like me with Disabilities should choose where we want to live

The Issue

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is saying if I live in the community I want, with my friends, they will not let me use Medicaid Waiver supports in order to get help with things like grocery shopping, paying bills, getting to my doctor. They say, in rule 2249-P2 that, unless I live with people who do not have disabilities, they won't give me support. I am 25 years old and I have Down syndrome. I am just like every other young person who wants their independence except that I need some extra help. Senior citizens have adult communities, religious have their own communities, military have their own. Why can't people with disabilities. Noone should be able to tell me how to live. I know plenty of people living in apartment and guess what! They want to live near me. We like to hang out but they don't have a way to get to visit me because they can't drive. They are very lonely because their neighbors do not invite them to come over. That is not how I want to live. So please, tell CMS that they should not decide for me about where I should live. If I am unhappy, then I will move, just like everyone else does. The most important thing is to tell CMS that the should not tell me and my friends where we have to live in order to get their support. My family knows me best and we should be able to make that decision. Thank you.

This petition had 399 supporters

The Issue

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is saying if I live in the community I want, with my friends, they will not let me use Medicaid Waiver supports in order to get help with things like grocery shopping, paying bills, getting to my doctor. They say, in rule 2249-P2 that, unless I live with people who do not have disabilities, they won't give me support. I am 25 years old and I have Down syndrome. I am just like every other young person who wants their independence except that I need some extra help. Senior citizens have adult communities, religious have their own communities, military have their own. Why can't people with disabilities. Noone should be able to tell me how to live. I know plenty of people living in apartment and guess what! They want to live near me. We like to hang out but they don't have a way to get to visit me because they can't drive. They are very lonely because their neighbors do not invite them to come over. That is not how I want to live. So please, tell CMS that they should not decide for me about where I should live. If I am unhappy, then I will move, just like everyone else does. The most important thing is to tell CMS that the should not tell me and my friends where we have to live in order to get their support. My family knows me best and we should be able to make that decision. Thank you.

The Decision Makers

Kathleen.Sebelius@hhs.gov
Kathleen.Sebelius@hhs.gov

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