As the President’s Executive Order threw the country into chaos earlier this week, temporarily freezing federal funds, we all got a sense of just how catastrophic not having Medicaid could be.
One in Three Children
As the nation’s largest health insurer, Medicaid ensures that one in three Wisconsin kids can go to the doctor, fill prescriptions, or get treatment for a serious illness like cancer, without their family going bankrupt.
For now, Medicaid coverage has been reinstated, but Congress is meeting this week to plan massive cuts. This is an especially important source of health coverage for small towns and rural areas nationwide. These cuts would make it harder for Medicaid to respond to unforeseen circumstances, like a global pandemic or natural disaster, and harder for low-income Wisconsin residents to maintain access to health care.
No cuts to Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act
Almost every person on Medicaid is a person with a disability, a pregnant or new mom, a child, one of our elders, or a low-income working adult. And, many of our local businesses also depend on Medicaid dollars, like therapists, schools, doctors, home health agencies, nursing homes, and more.
60% of Wisconsin’s Medicaid support comes from the federal government, but both Congress and our state legislators make decisions on how much is spent and where the money goes. Because more than one of every four dollars in our state budget is for Medicaid, Federal cuts would result in gaping state budget holes, that states can’t just fill with more state funds to make up the gap.
If you, a loved one, or a business you support depends on Medicaid, now is the time to call your Congressperson, U.S. Senators Baldwin and Johnson, and your state Senator and Assembly Representative. Our elected officials need to know how Medicaid cuts will affect families in Wisconsin and financially impact our communities. Tell them today: no cuts to Medicaid!
