This morning, the U.S. House passed the Reconciliation bill on a party line vote.
Beth Swedeen, Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Executive Director issued the following statement:
“The disability community has been tireless and clear since January about what Medicaid cuts of this magnitude would mean to their health, their well-being, and their safety. Because they know Medicaid’s requirements and hurdles so well, they know better than anyone that what are being called ‘efficiencies’ are instead a set of strategies that will cause people to lose Medicaid coverage, cut services, and weaken their health and long-term care. True Medicaid reform would listen to participant experience, but instead the disability community has been shut out of policy discussions. Disability advocates will continue to try and work with policymakers to strengthen Medicaid, not dismantle it.”
The proposal would be the largest cut to Medicaid ever. The Congressional Budget Office released updated estimates this week that calculate $790 B in Medicaid cuts with a 8 Million people projected to lose Medicaid coverage.
These numbers will increase. Last night the bill was amended to speed up when Medicaid “prove you’re working/exempt” requirements go into effect sooner which will result in people losing Medicaid coverage, and in turn reduce Federal Medicaid spending.
The Reconciliation bill also includes $300 B in cuts (almost 30%) of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or FoodShare in Wisconsin.
Two-thirds of the people who use SNAP/Foodshare in Wisconsin are also Medicaid participants. 45% of Wisconsin SNAP participants are people with disabilities.
