Right now, Congress is in negotiations to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and pay down the national debt. 92 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid, which provides affordable care to:
- people with disabilities
- people with mental health and substance use disorders
- children
- pregnant women
- seniors in nursing homes
- rural Americans
- people of color
Some in Congress have proposed taking away Medicaid coverage from millions as part of their plan to pay down the debt.
Under this proposal:
21 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage under so-called work reporting requirements.
Caregivers who take care of adults with disabilities or illness will lose their Medicaid coverage.
Parents who experience a pregnancy loss, stillbirth, death of a child, or place their child for adoption will lose their Medicaid coverage.
Low-wage workers on Medicaid, many of whom who juggle multiple low-wage jobs, will face increased burdensome paperwork to keep their coverage.
Healthcare providers will be burdened with requirements that could violate their medical ethics, such as certifying a person’s capability to work.
Medicaid coverage keeps the most vulnerable among us covered – low-income workers, pregnant women, people with disabilities, children, and more. It cannot and should not be used as a bargaining tool in debt negotiations.