What Medicaid Really Is: Federal American Benefits Not Just Connecticut State Benefits

Medicaid is not a Connecticut state program. Medicaid is a federal program created by Title XIX of the Social Security Act in 1965. It is an entitlement benefit for eligible Americans paid for by American taxpayers through the federal government. Here is the truth Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) does not want you to understand: • The federal government sets the rules. • The federal government pays at least 50% of every Medicaid dollar spent in Connecticut (the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP, is 50% for regular Medicaid services in our state). • In recent years, Connecticut has received billions in federal Medicaid funding roughly $4.9 billion annually, representing 46% of all federal money sent to the state. This means half or more of every dollar used for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), ABI Waivers, Autism Waivers, and long-term care in Connecticut comes directly from federal American taxpayers not from Connecticut state taxes alone. Yet the State of Connecticut deliberately presents Medicaid as “state benefits,” “Connecticut Medicaid,” or “HUSKY Health” as if it is purely a state-run, state-funded program. They talk about “state budget limits,” “state priorities,” and “state funding shortages.” This framing is intentional. By calling it “state benefits,” Connecticut shifts the blame away from the fact that they are mismanaging federal dollars. Federal rules require proper eligibility checks, timely delivery of services, and strict program integrity. When the state allows ineligible people to receive benefits, fails to terminate cases, or leaves thousands on waitlists while federal money sits unused or wasted, they want you to believe it is simply a “state problem” not a violation of federal law and federal taxpayer trust. You are not receiving “state charity.” You are entitled to federal benefits that Connecticut is required by law to deliver. The Olmstead decision, federal Medicaid statutes, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rules all guarantee community-based services for disabled Americans. The state’s narrative hides the real issue: gross mismanagement of federal American benefits while disabled Connecticut residents suffer on endless waitlists. This ends when we expose it. Report Directly to Federal HHS Office of Inspector General – Call 1-800-447-8477 or submit at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/. Report state mismanagement of federal Medicaid funds. File an Olmstead Complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice – Submit at ada.gov or call (800) 514-0301. Demand enforcement of your federal right to community services. Contact Federal CMS – Email Medicaid_Integrity_Program@cms.hhs.gov and request a program-integrity review of Connecticut’s handling of federal Medicaid dollars. Every step above targets the federal money and federal oversight that Connecticut tries to hide. Full evidence, audits, and clear federal steps live at david-medeiros.com/livewire. This is your un-suppressible voice.