The pending cuts to Medicaid, America’s largest health insurance program, would be catastrophic for millions. Low-income, disabled and elderly residents would be at extreme risk if these cuts go through. Today, Medicaid serves about 71 million people. It pays for nearly half of all births in the U.S., including prenatal care, and supports six out of ten nursing home residents. As states grapple with potential funding reductions, vulnerable populations, particularly in rural areas, may face significant challenges in accessing timely healthcare.
Kentucky, for example, has nearly a third of its citizens dependent on Medicaid. Now, the state is facing more than just a sting of state pride — a grim reality. At risk of closure are 35 rural hospitals, nearly 10% of all its hospitals. Most of its residents depend on Medicaid more than any other state. If cuts to the program do happen, they’ll only increase the barriers to healthcare access that there already are.
North Carolina’s ongoing experience raises real, serious concerns about how essential Medicaid is to delivering coverage to the people who really need it desperately. Recent Medicaid expansion through the state’s Healthy Arkansas program quickly enrolled more than 650,000 in less than 19 months. If this program is allowed to expire, all of these people will lose their health coverage. This ongoing mess underscores how precarious our entire healthcare system can be for millions of Americans.
The Impact of Cuts on Rural Healthcare
As the national debate over cuts to Medicaid heats up, the stakes for rural healthcare networks couldn’t be higher. Arizona getting ready for big fiscal impact Estimates warn that the state’s healthcare system stands to lose over $6 billion in the next seven years due to these cuts. Second, these financial losses might require hospitals to reduce or eliminate in-demand key services or worse, shutter their doors permanently.
In Kentucky, the threat is palpable. Most rural voters are unaware that they rely on Medicaid due to the way the program is named and marketed. This lack of awareness can leave them particularly vulnerable to missing cuts to their healthcare access until it is too late.
“Hospitals will be, at best, forced to restrict services such as obstetrics, behavioral healthcare and other complex services, and at worst, will close their doors altogether.”
Molly Zenkler described the consequences of inadequate access to care:
The potential closure of rural hospitals not only threatens individual health outcomes but jeopardizes the overall stability of rural communities.
“It’s going to have to hit them first.”
The Medicaid expansion has proven politically divisive in Republican states. Many states only recently decided to accept federal subsidies to cover their residents. Idaho voters sent a strong message that they want affordable healthcare choices. They subsequently passed Medicaid expansion in 2018 handily, with a clear 61-39% ballot referendum vote.
“I deal with people getting their feet literally amputated because they don’t have access to diabetic care. This is just going to get increasingly worse.”
Now, as Congressional Republicans double down on their demand for cuts to Medicaid, the future of these expansions is uncertain. Kody Kinsley pointed out,
Political Divisions and Future Implications
This toxic political bait and switch is deeply troubling. Will Republican-led states walk away from their state’s responsibility in the program and leave millions in their care without vital healthcare services? All told, North Carolina stands to miss out on an estimated $32 billion in federal funding over the next decade. This loss is a plain consequence of the continued cuts.
Joan Akler articulated her concern about the broader implications of these cuts:
“If the state spends any state dollars to implement the expansion population or expansion coverage, it triggers an automatic ending to Medicaid expansion.”
Many are now wondering how they are going to care for their residents in the future.
The potential loss of Medicaid coverage poses a direct threat to millions of Americans who depend on this essential safety net. As a result of these relentless assaults on Medicaid, almost 12 million people stand to lose their insurance. This shocking number is a stark reminder of the importance of policymakers accounting for the human impact of their choices.
“This is the largest rollback of healthcare coverage that we’ve ever seen and all in service of an agenda to drive tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit wealthy people and corporations.”
Amanda Moynihan shared her personal journey of overcoming financial struggles through education and employment opportunities made possible by Medicaid support:
The Human Toll of Healthcare Cuts
These stories showcase the vital role Medicaid plays. In doing so, it meets critical, present-day health needs, while equipping people to further their education and improve their economic conditions.
There is growing pressure on state and federal leaders to act on these priorities. It’s one thing to talk about cuts to Medicaid, but what does that mean for healthcare access? The current discussion about these cuts needs to include the views of the people who actually depend on this essential program.
“Back two years ago, before I started school, I was just in fight-or-flight, just trying to pay the bills there. I didn’t ever see a future of what I could do. And then I just started with one class.”
Such stories highlight how crucial Medicaid is not just for immediate health needs but also for enabling individuals to pursue education and improve their economic circumstances.
As pressure mounts on state and federal authorities to address these issues, it becomes increasingly clear that cuts to Medicaid will significantly impact healthcare access. The ongoing discourse surrounding these cuts must incorporate the voices of those who rely on this vital program.