MADISON, WI July 2, 2025 Employment Resources, Inc. (ERI) Executive Director Kweku-TeAngelo Cargile Jr. issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate passed a budget reconciliation bill with cuts to Medicaid that are even deeper than those passed by the House in May:
“When we warned in May about the House proposal to cut $715 billion from Medicaid, we said people with disabilities are far less likely to pursue employment goals without health insurance as a safety net. Now the Senate has passed even more devastating cuts, over $1 trillion from Medicaid alone, that would rip away that safety net from at least 11.8 million Americans.
For the individuals we serve at ERI, this isn’t just about healthcare, it’s about their ability to participate in Wisconsin’s workforce. At least 90% of the people we serve lack access to private insurance through employers, making Medicaid the foundation that makes their employment possible.
Consider Abby, who works at a children’s clothing store and relies on multiple Medicaid-funded services including, job coaching, on-site nursing for ventilator management, and transportation. Without these comprehensive supports, Abby cannot work. The Senate bill would eliminate the very services that enable her and thousands of other Wisconsinites with disabilities to be productive members of our workforce.
These cuts would create a workforce crisis in Wisconsin. People with disabilities will be compelled to choose between their health and their employment. Our state will lose workers, taxpayers, and consumers at a time when we need every person contributing to our economy.
The federal government currently contributes $1.54 to Medicaid for every $1 Wisconsin invests, approximately $8 billion annually in federal funding that supports 65% of our state’s Medicaid spending. These cuts would create budget gaps that Wisconsin cannot fill with state resources alone, leading to program eliminations that make employment impossible for people with disabilities.
These proposals do not improve Medicaid, they only make it harder for people with disabilities to work while increasing costs to Wisconsin taxpayers and our healthcare system. Congress must reject this harmful legislation and instead support the federal-state Medicaid partnership that has successfully enabled employment for people with disabilities.”
ERI urges Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to oppose the reconciliation bill and support maintaining robust federal Medicaid funding that enables workforce participation for people with disabilities.
About Employment Resources, Inc. Employment Resources, Inc. (ERI) Since 1990, our mission has been to practice and promote innovative services to advance employment opportunities, support personal choices, and enhance the well-being of people with disabilities.
