Survival Coalition Wisconsin

The Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations is a cross-disability coalition of more than 20 state and local organizations and groups. For more than 20 years, Survival has been focused on changing and improving policies and practices that support people with disabilities of all ages to be full participants in community life.

Updates

Survival Coalition Response to Passage of Federal Budget Bill

July 3, 2025

Contact: Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations, Co-Chairs

Beth Swedeen, beth.swedeen@wisconsin.gov; (608) 220-2924

Patti Becker, beckerp@clanet.org; (608) 240-8503

Jason Glozier, jglozier@wcilc.org (608) 422-0525

Survival Coalition Response to Passage of Federal Budget Bill

Today, the U.S. House approved the Senate’s deeper cuts to Medicaid and SNAP by a vote of 218 to 214.

The bill rushed through the U.S. Senate without any public hearings in less than three days with parts being written and rewritten until the final hour before the floor vote. The impact of many added or changed provisions had no formal analysis before the U.S. House passed the bill less than 48 hours after receiving it from the Senate.

According to an initial estimate from the Congressional Budget Office last Saturday—which does not reflect the final language of the bill—the bill would cut Federal spending on Medicaid, Medicare, and ACA Marketplace by more than $1.1 Trillion.  More than $1 Trillion of those cuts come from Medicaid alone. At least 11.8 M people would lose health care. These numbers will increase when more detailed analysis of the final bill is done.

The bill also cuts $ 300 Billion in food assistance, taking away food from an estimated 5 Million people. 45% of Wisconsin SNAP participants are people with disabilities. Two-thirds of the people who use SNAP/Foodshare in Wisconsin are also Medicaid participants.

“These cuts will be detrimental to the ability of states to meet their obligations under the Olmstead Act, and will cause an increase in unnecessary and costly institutionalizations.” Says Jason Glozier. 

 States are unlikely to be able to pay a lot more to keep their Medicaid programs the same. States can change who can or can’t get into Medicaid (and also make eligible people wait to get in), choose to pay small businesses who provide health or long term care less, or reduce their spending on optional services.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)–Family Care, IRIS, CLTS–are optional services states do not have to do and they represent 50% of the optional Medicaid service spending. 86% of Medicaid optional service spending is for people with disabilities and older adults. Cuts that impact optional services will impact people with disabilities.

States are unlikely to be able to pay a lot more to keep their Medicaid programs the same. States can change who can or can’t get into Medicaid (and also make eligible people wait to get in), choose to pay small businesses who provide health or long term care less, or reduce their spending on optional services.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)–Family Care, IRIS, CLTS–are optional services states do not have to do and they represent 50% of the optional Medicaid service spending. 86% of Medicaid optional service spending is for people with disabilities and older adults. Cuts that impact optional services will impact people with disabilities. (PDF)

Survival Coalition of Statewide Disability Groups Statement on State Budget

July 3, 2025

Contact: Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations, Co-Chairs

Beth Swedeen, beth.swedeen@wisconsin.gov; (608) 220-2924

Patti Becker, beckerp@clanet.org; (608) 240-8503

Jason Glozier, jglozier@wcilc.org (608) 422-0525

The Survival Coalition of more than 20 statewide disability organizations supports the state budget passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Evers overnight that continues to invest in the current levels of Medicaid supports and significantly increases special education funding. Survival also strongly supports the Medicaid rate increases for personal care, home health care, and private duty nursing: three critical supports that allow people with disabilities and older adults to remain in their homes and communities and out of institutional care.

The budget includes added Medicaid funding that allows the program “cost to continue” in spite of increases in the number of people projected to be in Medicaid, as well as increasing costs for Medicaid-covered health care, including rising prescription drug costs.

Survival Coalition also supports the budget’s continued funding for a Family Care minimum fee schedule. This ensures all residential providers will receive at least a base rate. Wisconsin’s Medicaid provider network is fragile, and many providers have of home and community-based services have struggled to stay in business

Survival Coalition has long been concerned about the inadequate reimbursement rate for special education. The state currently reimburses local public school districts at just 32.1% of their costs. This budget makes progress in getting to the 90% state reimbursement that Survival Coalition supports. The Governor’s budget would have reimbursed at 60%. This budget increases reimbursement to 42% the first year, and 45% the second year of the budget.

Survival Coalition continues to be concerned about potential devastating cuts to Medicaid and other public programs at the federal level that would impact Wisconsin’s disability community. This state budget shows the state’s commitment to investments that allow people with disabilities to be safe, healthy, and contributing members of their communities. Press release doc

Survival Coalition Statement on Senate Passage of Reconciliation Bill

July 1, 2025 
Contacts:  Beth Swedeen, beth.swedeen@wisconsin.gov; (608) 220-2924;  Patti Becker, beckerp@clanet.org (608) 240-8503 
Jason Glozier, jglozier@wcilc.org; (608) 422-0525 

Survival Coalition Statement on Senate Passage of Reconciliation Bill Survival Coalition of more than 20 statewide disability organizations issued this statement today in response to the Senate’s passage of a budget reconciliation bill that cuts over $1 trillion in Medicaid and $300 billion in SNAP food assistance in the next decade.  “People with disabilities, their families who provide care, and countless locall businesses that support people with disabilities in their homes and communities have been clear for months that the proposed budget bill will create direct harm. They have been tireless in efforts to educate policymakers on the value and benefit of Medicaid as a cost effective, efficient way to keep people healthy, safe, and connected to their communities and out of costly hospitals and institutions.  Today’s passage of a Senate bill that includes even deeper cuts than the House version feels like an attack on the lives and well-being of Wisconsin’s disability and aging communities. Survival Coalition continues to welcome opportunities to sit down with policymakers on ideas to improve public programs to ensure both quality and cost effectiveness. Today’s vote for steep cuts was not the way. People with disabilities, older adults, their caregivers, families and communities will pay the price.”  


To recap the Senate bill, it would cut more than $1.1 trillion from Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA: all programs that people with disabilities and who are aging need each day.  The bill also cuts 30% or $300 billion from food assistance. More than 45% of Wisconsin’s SNAP participants are people with disabilities.  PDF document

Survival Comments on Department of Energy proposal to eliminate 504 requirements in new buildings and updates

Survival Coalition co-chairs have submitted comments to The federal Department of Energy (DOE), which  has issued a “direct final rule” that will eliminate a long-standing requirement of Section 504 requiring new buildings constructed with federal funds to be accessible to people with disabilities. The Department now calls this rule “unnecessary” and burdensome.” Removing this rule would:

• Eliminate enforceable accessibility standards for new federally funded buildings.

• Allow renovations that leave out ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and more.

• Undermine the civil rights protections of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Survival co-chairs encourage each Survival organization to submit comments BY SUNDAY to these 3 locations:

  1. Docket #1 – Go to DOE-HQ-2025-0015 and click “Comment”: https://bit.ly/4kuX2R2
  2. Docket #2 – Go to DOE-HQ-2025-0024 and click “Comment” : https://bit.ly/4mGKgjY
  3. Also email your comments to: DOEGeneralCounsel@hq.doe.gov

Your comments do not need to be long: You can simply say you oppose the elimination or weakening of the long-standing requirement of Section 504 which requires new buildings constructed with federal funds to be accessible to people with disabilities. You can also share why you oppose the proposal. Read Full Survival Comments Here.

Please share widely in your networks.

Submit comments by SUNDAY to oppose new rule that would eliminate accessibility requirements for new federal buildings

The federal Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a “direct final rule” that will eliminate a long-standing requirement of Section 504 requiring new buildings constructed with federal funds to be accessible to people with disabilities. The Department now calls this rule “unnecessary” and burdensome.” Removing this rule would: 
• Eliminate enforceable accessibility standards for new federally funded buildings.

• Allow renovations that leave out ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and more.

• Undermine the civil rights protections of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

According to www.Regulations.gov, the final rule will be effective on July 15 of this year unless significant comments opposing the change are received by this coming Sunday, June 15.

Click both links below and leave a public comment on each (your comments can be the same).

Docket #1 – Go to DOE-HQ-2025-0015 and click “Comment”: https://bit.ly/4kuX2R2

Docket #2 – Go to DOE-HQ-2025-0024 and click “Comment” : https://bit.ly/4mGKgjY

Your comments do not need to be long: You can simply say you oppose the elimination or weakening of the long-standing requirement of Section 504 which requires new buildings constructed with federal funds to be accessible to people with disabilities. You can also share why you oppose the proposal.

Please share widely in your networks.

Survival Coalition Dismayed at House Passage of Bill Cutting Hundreds of Billions to Medicaid, SNAP, Resulting in Millions Kicked Off Health Insurance


This morning’s vote by the U.S. House would make the biggest cut in Medicaid history, cutting at least $790 Billion in federal dollars from Medicaid that will have a significant impact on Wisconsin’s disability community. Read the full Press Release.