Right now, Congress is considering massive cuts to Medicaid that would threaten healthcare coverage for more than 72 million Americans. With this news, Americans are voicing their concerns about the devastating effects that would come from cuts, and sharing how important Medicaid is to their families. A recent poll from KFF Health reflects that sentiment: 83% of respondents reported having a favorable view toward Medicaid. In this June 23 USA Today Opinion Forum, Caroline Johnson, a stage 3 breast cancer survivor and mother to a son with disabilities, and Gary Young, an emergency physician, both share their distinct experiences with Medicaid and demonstrate its life-saving impact.
The below was originally published on usatoday.com.
I couldn’t have made it as a mom ‒ or cancer survivor ‒ without Medicaid
As a Stage 3 breast cancer survivor, mother to a son with profound disabilities and a full-time working member of society, I’ve had to navigate the unimaginable. Without Medicaid, I could not have managed any of it.
The program covers our son’s in-home care, and it gave me the ability to focus on both my treatment and career. For families like mine, Medicaid is not a luxury ‒ it is the foundation that holds everything together. Proposed cuts threaten the care millions rely on. We must protect Medicaid so parents are not forced to choose among their health, their job and their children’s needs.
— Caroline Johnson, Louisville, Kentucky
As an ER doctor, I saw what cuts to Medicaid would cost us all
As an emergency physician, I cared for uninsured patients who were signed up for Medicaid insurance in the emergency department. Medicaid health insurance allowed these patients to follow up with primary care doctors and providers who otherwise could not afford to care for uninsured people.
Studies show that adding Medicaid insurance saves lives. And taking away Medicaid insurance leads to worse health outcomes. I am very concerned that any cuts to Medicaid insurance would lead to avoidable illness and even death for newly uninsured patients.
Primary care physicians and specialists cannot afford to care for patients who lose their Medicaid health care coverage. Also, rural hospitals and rural clinics would lose a significant portion of their financial support from Medicaid. Primary care providers and rural hospitals would be forced to close their doors, leaving uninsured patients without access to care.
— Gary Young, Sacramento, California
Read the full article here.