Yesterday, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee began a mark-up hearing on its proposal to cut at least $715 billion in federal spending from Medicaid. The initial Congressional Budget Office estimates this proposal will result in at least 13.7 million people losing health coverage. The facts are that this would be the largest cut to Medicaid ever, will not make any improvements to Medicaid, put more burden on states, and not solve anything that the members of Congress claim are problems.
The leadership and members of People First Wisconsin are very worried. These cuts at the federal level will be devastating for people with disabilities and their families, caregivers, and providers across the nation. Here in Wisconsin, many people with disabilities rely on Medicaid card services to meet their healthcare needs and Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBS) from Family Care, IRIS, and the Children’s Long-Term Support to meet their long-term care needs. It is especially concerning that while institutional care is a mandated service under Medicaid, community-based services are not. What will happen if there is no funding to support community based services such as supportive homecare, job coaching, transportation, and daily living skills training? What happens to Medicaid waiver participants when their support goes away? Needs don’t go away when the funding does.
People First Wisconsin‘s Executive Director Cindy Bentley, fears that these cuts will result in more people being institutionalized. Cindy was institutionalized until the age of 26 and has been successfully living in her apartment and working in the community for over 40 years. Cindy says, “We can’t go backward. I’m really worried that many of my friends will end up stuck in institutions like I was if these huge Medicaid cuts go through.” Cindy calls upon Congress to “lead with love” and protect their constituents by saying “no” to any cuts to Medicaid.
