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In News

HEADLINES: Republicans Are Putting Medicaid “on the Chopping Block” to Fund Tax Breaks For the Wealthy

Republicans Put Health Care for 70 Million Americans in Jeopardy in Order to Fund Tax Breaks for Billionaires and Big Corporations

Republicans are ramping up their threats on health care for more than 70 million Americans as they negotiate a forthcoming budget reconciliation package. Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are not hiding their extreme plans to gut Medicaid, which are featured in their policy priorities for 2025. Instead of protecting health care for millions of families who count on it, Republicans want to give more tax breaks to billionaires. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, and the consequences of any cuts to Medicaid would touch nearly every household in America. Every community has someone who counts on Medicaid: children, new moms, seniors, and working people who don’t receive health insurance through their employer.

HEADLINES

KFF Health News: Trump’s Return Puts Medicaid on the Chopping Block.

  • “House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told KFF Health News that Medicaid and other federal entitlement programs need major changes to help cut the federal debt. ‘Without them, we will watch this country sadly enter into fiscal collapse.’ Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member of the Budget Committee, said Congress needs to explore cutting federal spending on Medicaid. ‘You need wholesale reform on the health care front, which can include undoing a lot of the damage being done by the ACA and Obamacare,’ Roy said. ‘Frankly, we could end up providing better service if we do it the right way.’”

HuffPost: Big Cuts To Medicaid Reportedly On The Menu For House Republicans

  • “Republicans have long called for these sorts of changes, arguing that government-financed health care programs are wasteful, put excessive drain on taxpayers and ultimately do more harm than good ― even for people in need… But those arguments have rarely proven persuasive, thanks in no small part to independent projections showing consistently that enacting such policies would effectively strip millions ― maybe even tens of millions ― of Americans of their health insurance.”

Politico: House GOP Puts Medicaid, ACA, Climate Measures on Chopping Block.

  • “Cuts to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and the country’s largest anti-hunger program would spark massive opposition from Democrats and would also face some GOP resistance. House Speaker Mike Johnson can’t afford any Republican defections if he wants to pass a package on party lines… The policy menu suggests Republicans could capture major savings from Medicaid — up to an estimated $2.3 trillion. The list includes so-called per-capita caps on Medicaid for states, meaning the program would be paid for based on population instead of being an open-ended entitlement, and would institute work requirements in the program.” 

Common Dreams: ‘Republicans Are Gearing Up for Class War,’ Democrat Warns as GOP Pursues Huge Medicaid Cuts. 

  • The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities warned in an analysis published last week that cuts to federal funding under a per-capita cap “would impose significant strain on states and put millions of people at risk of losing benefits and coverage.”

New Republic: Republicans Plan Deadly Cuts to Government as L.A. Fires Spread.

  • The GOP is aiming to cut $5.7 trillion from the budget over the next 10 years, and is considering cuts to important government services like welfare, climate protections, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act to get there. They then want to use that money to pay for Trump’s draconian immigration plans and tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, according to Politico. 
  • “The Republican ‘menu’ cuts food and health care for low income people to put more money in the pockets of the rich,” said Aaron Fritschner, deputy chief of staff to Representative Don Beyer. “Even the item names are dystopian: $490B Medicare cut= ‘Strengthen Medicare For Seniors.’ Cutting food for low income people= ‘Ending Cradle-To-Grave Dependence.” 

VA Dogwood: US House Republicans Want to Cut Medicaid. Why That’s Bad News for Virginia.

  • Cutting Medicaid funding and taking away the health care of tens of millions of struggling Americans in the process has long been a Republican goal. Now that Republicans have control of Congress and regained the White House this fall, the threat is even more real for the nearly 2 million people in Virginia on Medicaid.
  • If this trigger law were to go into effect today, it would threaten the health care of more than 600,000 people in Virginia, according to The Commonwealth Institute, a Richmond-based nonpartisan research nonprofit.

STATEMENTS

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR): “I will be straightforward about what this plan means. Republicans are gearing up for a class war against everyday families in America. This list outlines a plan to increase child hunger, boot tens of millions off their health insurance and lay off hundreds of thousands of clean energy workers to fund tax handouts for the wealthy. It won’t be any consolation to struggling Americans that their hardship allows some rich buddy of Donald Trump’s to buy a bigger yacht.” [Press Release, 1/10/25]

Senate Finance Committee Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA): “This analysis confirms that working people should be on high alert for Trump’s tax plan that overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy. Republicans in Congress are already scheming how to pay for these billionaire handouts with painful cuts to health care services like Medicaid.” [X, 1/10/25]

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT): “When Trump talks about Canada or Greenland or Panama it’s just clickbait distraction so we don’t pay attention to his central goal – passing a massive tax cut for his billionaire and corporate friends and paying for it by slashing Medicare and Medicaid.” [X, 1/10/25]

Senator Peter Welch (D-VT): “More Americans than ever before signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act this year. This isn’t the time for Republicans to make cuts. We need to work together to expand and build on this vital care program that 45 million Americans rely on.” [X, 1/09/25]

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03): “House Republicans are ready to take $5.7 TRILLION from Medicaid, Medicare, the ACA, SNAP, and climate programs—and give it to greedy billionaires and corporations. This plan would jeopardize the health and wealth of millions of Americans.” [X, 1/10/25]

Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12): “Imposing work requirements for Medicaid is not just misguided—it’s cruel. In practice, it fails to create jobs and strips essential healthcare from vulnerable individuals. This isn’t uplifting low-income Americans and forgotten communities; it’s punishing them.” [X, 1/10/25]

Representative Mike Levin (D-CA-49): “House Republicans are back to threatening cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. This won’t lower costs for Americans. These cuts would only help bankroll Trump’s tax cuts for his billionaire friends and corporate interests.” [X, 1/11/25]

ashoup
In News

ROUND UP: Health Care Advocates Across the Nation Tell Republicans “Hands Off Medicaid”

Republicans Want to Slash Health Care and Threaten a Lifeline for Over 72 Million Americans to Fund Tax Breaks for Billionaires

This week, Protect Our Care joined health care advocates and union members for press conferences in California, New York, and Pennsylvania to tell Congress that Medicaid cuts must be off the table as Republicans negotiate a forthcoming budget reconciliation package. Leading Republicans are ramping up threats to cut Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. This would mean ripping away health care from millions of families who count on it, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, workers whose employers don’t provide health insurance, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, providing health care to more than 70 million Americans. The consequences of any cuts to Medicaid would touch nearly every household in America. 

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. David Valadao (CA-22), SEIU-UHW and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Californians.

PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-41), SEIU-UHW and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Californians.

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Young Kim (CA-40), SEIU-UHW and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Californians.

PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-2), 1199SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of New Yorkers. “I’m out here today in the freezing cold because so many of our seniors depend on Medicaid, but I’m worried about the program’s future,” said Sheike Ward-Kidd, an activities aide at a Long Island nursing home. “Where would my residents go if extremist politicians slashed the program to pay for huge tax cuts for their billionaire donors? Not only would my residents lose access to their healthcare, their medicine, their meals, their activities, their friends and their caregivers, but they would lose the only home they now have if the extremists had their way.”

PEARL RIVER, NEW YORK

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) 1199SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of New Yorkers. “We are here today to raise the alarm that federal Medicaid cuts by the incoming administration would have a devastating impact on millions of Americans,” said Milly Silva, Secretary Treasurer of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which represents 450,000 healthcare workers throughout the East Coast. “It would impact every community, including right here in New York where seven million residents benefit from the Medicaid and CHIP programs. Our message is simple: all elected leaders, regardless of party affiliation, must totally reject any attempts to weaken the Medicaid program.”

  • LoHud: Healthcare Workers Speak Out Against Medicaid Cuts at Mike Lawler’s Office

HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-1), 1199SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of New Yorkers. “We want a future where everyone can get high quality healthcare, no matter their income or where they live. But we will never achieve healthcare justice if we are facing deep and devastating cuts instead,” said Cynthia Ngombe, Healthcare Advocate at the Healthcare Education Project, an initiative of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and the Greater New York Hospital Association. “We are asking our elected officials to stand with the most vulnerable members of their communities, and keep their hands off Medicaid.”

LANGHORNE, PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Pennsylvanians. “Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress plan to turn their backs on working families by passing a fresh round of tax breaks benefitting billionaires and ultra-wealthy corporations, said Rachele Fortier of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy. “They plan to pay for these tax breaks with cuts to care programs like Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and Head Start. Pennsylvanians need affordable, high-quality child care, home and community-based care for the aging and disabled, and lower costs for their life-saving medications – not another tax break for big corporations and the ultra-wealthy.”

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday, outside the office of Rep. Ryan MacKenzie (PA-07), SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Pennsylvanians. “The loss of Medicaid would impact my three-year-old daughter’s physical and emotional health. My daughter suffers from eczema,” said Magdara Pierre, Make the Road PA Allentown Member Leader. “Without health insurance, access to preventive services, such as vaccines and regular checkups, her health is compromised. This could increase the risk that preventable diseases that are not detected in time, which could lead to more serious complications.”

JENKINS TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday, outside UFCW 1776, SEIU and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care for a “Hands off Medicaid” rally calling out Republicans’ efforts to gut federal funding for Medicaid, which would force the state to slash benefits and coverage for millions of Pennsylvanians.

ashoup
In News

TODAY: Protect Our Care Joins “Hands Off Medicaid” Events Across New York, Pennsylvania, and California as Republicans Threaten Health Care Cuts

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8***

Republicans Want to Slash Health Care and Threaten a Lifeline for Over 72 Million Americans to Fund Tax Breaks for Billionaires

On Wednesday, January 8, health care advocates, elected officials, beneficiaries, and union members will host press conferences across New York, Pennsylvania, and California to tell Republicans that Medicaid cuts must be off the table as they negotiate a budget reconciliation package. The events will take place outside of key congressional offices to sound the alarm on what these cuts could mean for constituents. 

Leading Republicans are ramping up threats to cut Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, which would rip away health care from millions of families who count on it, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, workers whose employers don’t provide health insurance, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is the largest health insurance program in the country, providing health care to more than 70 million Americans. The consequences of any cuts to Medicaid would touch nearly every household in America. 

NEW YORK

HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK

WHO: Local health care advocates

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 12 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Nick LaLota’s Office, 515 Hauppauge Road, Hauppauge NY 11788

PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK

WHO: Long Island health care advocates

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 12 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s Office, 31 Oak Street, Patchogue NY 11722

PEARL RIVER, NEW YORK

WHO:
Sandra Abegg, 1199SEIU Respiratory Therapist at the Northern Manor in Nanuet, NY
Citizen Action representatives
NAACP representatives
Casandra Chen, Healthcare Advocate, Healthcare Education Project

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 12 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Mike Lawler’s Office, One Blue Hill Plaza, Pearl River NY 10965

CALIFORNIA

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA

WHO: Local patients, healthcare workers, and community members 

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 11 AM PT // 2 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. David Valadao’s Office, 2700 M Street Suite 250B Bakersfield, CA 93301

PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA

WHO: Local patients, healthcare workers, and community members 

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 11 AM PT // 2 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Ken Calvert’s Office, 73710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 129, Palm Desert, CA  92260

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

WHO: Local patients, healthcare workers, and community members 

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 11 AM PT // 2 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Young Kim’s Office, 180 N. Riverview Dr. Suite 150 Anaheim, CA 92808

PENNSYLVANIA

LANGHORNE, PENNSYLVANIA

WHO:
Rachele Fortier, Family Friendly Economy
Katy Personette, New Pennsylvania Project
Signe Espinoza, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 4 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s Office, 1717 Langhorne Newtown Rd. Suite 225, Langhorne, PA 19047

RSVP: Media can RSVP to Ashley Matthews, [email protected] or 484-832-7432

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

WHO:
Make the Road PA
Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
Working Families Party

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 4 PM ET

WHERE: Rep. Ryan MacKenzie’s Office, 3900 Hamilton, Allentown PA 18130

RSVP: Media can RSVP to Ashley Matthews, [email protected] or 484-832-7432

JENKINS TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA

WHO: Local health care advocates

WHAT: “Hands Off Medicaid” rally 

WHEN: Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 6 PM ET

WHERE: UFCW 1776, 1776 Luzerne County, 2007 PA-315 Jenkins Township, PA 18640

ashoup
In News

STATEMENT: MAGA Republicans Plot Devastating Medicaid Cuts Ahead of House Retreat

Republicans in Congress Want to Slash Health Care to Fund Tax Breaks for the Wealthiest Americans

Washington D.C. — House Republicans are preparing for a retreat this weekend to discuss a reconciliation bill that pushes their extreme priorities, including ripping away health care from millions of Americans. Trump and MAGA Republicans are plotting deep cuts to Medicaid in order to fund their outrageous tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. As a result, millions would lose coverage, including children, new moms, seniors, and people with disabilities. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Medicaid is on the chopping block. MAGA House Republicans are wasting no time as they plot to rip away health care from millions of Americans in order to fund tax breaks for their billionaire buddies. Trump and his GOP minions have made clear that they will put the richest one percent and big corporations ahead of everyday families. Their dangerous attacks on Medicaid are threatening a lifeline for over 75 million Americans, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, and people with disabilities. We must do everything we can to protect affordable health care access and prevent MAGA Republicans from throwing our health care system into complete chaos.”

Background:

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Republicans Threaten Deep Cuts to Medicaid and Medicare

ashoup
In News, Fact Sheet, Research

FACT SHEET: Five Ways Republicans Are Planning To Gut Medicaid

The GOP war on Medicaid is alive and well. Republicans are targeting Medicaid for deep budget cuts as part of a reconciliation bill coming early next year in order to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Medicaid is an essential pillar of our health care system. It is the largest health insurance program in the country, providing health care to more than 70 million Americans — nearly a quarter of the country. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal government and the states, and it is supported by 76 percent of Americans. It covers one in five Americans, including kids, moms, seniors, people of color, rural Americans, and people with disabilities. 

Five key ways Republicans could cut federal Medicaid funding and leave millions of Americans uninsured and unable to afford health care include: imposing lifetime caps on coverage, slashing the federal matching rate for traditional Medicaid and Medicaid expansion, implementing bureaucratic reporting requirements, block granting Medicaid, and introducing per capita caps. All of these policies mean that millions would lose their coverage, state budgets would be strained, and rural hospitals would be more likely to close. Every family knows someone who counts on Medicaid. If MAGA Republicans get their way, Medicaid will be decimated — taking health care away from hardworking families across the country all to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy. 

By The Numbers

  • Republican threats to Medicaid put health care at risk for 72 million (21 percent) of Americans including:
  • Republicans will create at least a $50 billion hole in state Medicaid budgets to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. 
  • If Republicans decrease federal funding for people in the Medicaid expansion population, it would immediately rip health care away from over 4.2 million Americans across 12 states and jeopardize health care for about 21 million people.
  • Republicans threaten care for 18.5 million people on Medicaid by imposing lifetime caps.
  • Republicans could deny coverage to 36 million Americans through burdensome bureaucratic reporting requirements.

Five Ways The GOP Plans To Gut Medicaid

  1. The GOP Will Impose Lifetime Caps For People On Medicaid. Republicans want to enact the Project 2025 playbook by imposing lifetime caps for people on Medicaid. Proposals have suggested people remain eligible for just 36 months, potentially over their entire lifetime. If enacted, the Center For American Progress found that these caps would strip benefits from hardworking families and people with complex medical conditions, particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid, endangering coverage for the 18.5 million people with Medicaid who qualify based on income alone.
  2. Republicans Want To Slash Federal Funding for Medicaid By Reducing the Amount of Federal Funding That Matches State Medicaid Funding. As part of their plans to slash spending, Republicans could achieve their longtime goal of eliminating federal funding for Medicaid expansion and decreasing funding for traditional Medicaid. The Affordable Care Act provided for states to expand Medicaid eligibility by offering matching federal funds as an incentive. Some recent proposals have suggested lowering the federal match rate to 90 percent or lower, which would create a $50 billion hole in state Medicaid budgets. Research shows Medicaid expansion improves people’s health, keeps hospitals open, increases families’ financial security, and saves lives – and, in turn, helps reduce racial and ethnic, rural, and other health disparities. As of 2024, 41 states (including DC) have expanded Medicaid under the ACA. However, 12 of these states – Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Virginia, and Utah – have a trigger law, which means that health care will be at risk or immediately be ripped away from 4,291,000 people across the country if the GOP succeeds in gutting funding for Medicaid expansion.
  3. Republicans Want To Impose Burdensome Bureaucratic Reporting Requirements. Several recent Republican budget proposals have included plans to introduce bureaucratic work reporting requirements as a mandatory part of Medicaid enrollment and verification. By imposing work reporting requirements, Republicans are only seeking to cut Medicaid and kick millions of people off the rolls. Research shows that work reporting requirements cost states money and do not improve people’s ability to find work. In Georgia, a GOP alternative to Medicaid expansion emphasizing work requirements cost taxpayers $26 million, only provided coverage to 3,500 people, and resulted in consulting firms pocketing 90 percent of the funding. If Republicans succeed in implementing work reporting requirements, up to 21 million Americans could be denied Medicaid coverage.
  4. Republicans Want To Radically Restructure Medicaid Through Block Grants, Resulting In Deep Cuts. Another way MAGA Republicans want to radically restructure Medicaid is by changing it into five block grants. In March, the Republican Study Committee released a proposal to do just that. Block grants would shift costs to states and inevitably result in deep cuts to Medicaid programs by capping the amount of federal Medicaid funding states receive. As CBPP found in 2017, a block grant would force states to make deep cuts to their Medicaid programs to compensate for the federal funding cuts. Currently, the federal government pays between 50 percent and 77 percent of enrollees’ Medicaid costs, and more for certain high-value services. Republicans’ proposals to slash billions in federal funding from Medicaid would strain state budgets and leave tens of millions of people uninsured.
  5. Republicans Want To Introduce Per Capita Caps For Medicaid, Shifting Costs To States. Past Republican budget proposals have established a per capita cap for states on Medicaid enrollment. This type of spending cap imposes a restriction on the amount the federal government will contribute per capita to states’ Medicaid budgets. The proposals also increase the amount states must contribute to their Medicaid programs. In practice, per capita caps only increase costs for Medicaid beneficiaries – often in the form of higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs, all but ensuring that even if one qualifies for Medicaid, the services may not be affordable. It also means Medicaid would not have the flexibility to take on an influx of new patients during public health emergencies.
ashoup
In News

Five Lies You’ll Hear From Former President Donald Trump During The Debate

When Donald Trump was president, he showed us who he is. His record is defined by one act of sabotage after another that ended in high drug costs, tax breaks for billionaires, and millions of Americans losing their health care coverage. Now, Trump is lying about his record as he hopes Americans believe his outrageous deceptions like how he “saved” protections for pre-existing conditions. In reality, Trump’s agenda has been all about ripping health care away and putting insurance and drug companies back in charge to hike costs on Americans. A second Trump term will have devastating consequences such as eliminating protections for pre-existing conditions, gutting funding for Medicaid, and putting the profits of big drug companies over patients. Here are the top five lies about health care that you will hear from former President Trump at Tuesday’s debate: 

  1. LIE: Trump Lowered Drug Prices. Trump has claimed that “Low INSULIN PRICING was gotten for millions of Americans by me, and the Trump Administration” or that he “lowered drug costs by “80 or 90 percent” and that insulin was “as cheap as water.”
    REALITY: The former president had four years to take action on drug prices, but instead, he did nothing, and now he’ll lie and say anything to cover up his failures. In reality, drug prices soared under Trump. During his first year in office, the list prices of 20 of the top 25 drugs covered by Medicare Part D increased between three and nine times the rate of inflation, according to KFF. AARP found that annual drug costs for the drugs most commonly used by seniors rose 5.8 percent in 2018, more than twice the rate of inflation. Likewise, drug prices increased an average of 21 percent in 2019 and grew faster than inflation in 2020. Further, Trump gave billions in tax breaks to drug and health insurance companies and executives, signing a $1.5 trillion tax bill disproportionately benefiting the wealthy and reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.
  2. LIE: Trump has a “phenomenal” health care plan. Trump has said that he’s going to be introducing a ​​“terrific,” “phenomenal” and “fantastic” new health care plan to replace the Affordable Care Act – and it will be ready in “two weeks.”
    REALITY: The former president has been promising this “phenomenal” new health plan in “two weeks” for nearly eight years, but his record on ripping away Americans’ health care is clear. Census data revealed the uninsured rate rose during Trump’s tenure for the first time since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The rate increased from 7.9 percent in 2017 to 8.5 percent in 2018, or by approximately 2 million people. During his first term, Trump notoriously tried and failed multiple times to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). All of the repeal bills that went through Congress would have caused millions of Americans to lose their health coverage and raised premiums for millions more. Trump’s repeal efforts would have ended Medicaid as we know it, putting the health care of children, seniors, working families, and people with disabilities at risk. Since the end of his first term in office, Trump has repeatedly reignited his calls to “terminate” the Affordable Care Act, which he claims is a “disaster,” and his MAGA allies in Congress are seeking to dismantle the Inflation Reduction Act and its provisions making prescription drugs and health care premiums more affordable for tens of millions of Americans. Even if he doesn’t succeed at fully repealing the ACA, Trump will stop at nothing to gut it and other critical protections that the American people rely on. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that gutting the ACA would result in “higher costs for health coverage, loss of protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and an increase in the number of people without insurance.”
  3. LIE: Trump will protect Medicaid. For years Trump has lied and promised that he will “protect your Medicare and your Medicaid.”
    REALITY: During the Trump administration, more than one million children lost Medicaid coverage between 2017 and 2019. The “Project 2025” agenda released by Trump’s allies at the Heritage Foundation includes onerous paperwork requirements and block grants that would force radical cuts to Medicaid. As Georgetown University found, “The RSC budget would slash Medicaid, CHIP and the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace subsidies by $4.5 trillion over ten years and the House GOP budget resolution would cut Medicaid by $2.2. trillion over the next decade.” These tried and failed policies are designed to throw people off of their coverage. After Arkansas imposed the nation’s first so-called “work requirements” program, more than 18,000 residents lost Medicaid coverage. Although state efforts were blocked by a federal judge several times, the Trump administration fought relentlessly to impose work reporting requirements in Medicaid. Between encouraging states to impose red tape and paperwork requirements masquerading as work requirements, the Trump administration worked tirelessly to dismantle Medicaid. Now, red state governors are already preparing a renewed wave of draconian cuts and onerous requirements for Medicaid recipients.
  4. LIE: Trump will never cut a single penny from Medicare. Trump has vowed dozens of times never to cut Medicare and last year posted a video claiming that “Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security.”
    REALITY: Trump’s budgets included cuts to Medicare and Social Security every single year that he was in office and as recently as March of 2024 he proposed “entitlements” reform that could put the health and financial security of millions of American seniors at risk. For example, Trump’s proposed federal budget in 2019 alone would have cut funding for Medicare by more than $800 billion and repealed the ACA. MAGA Republicans have also pushed for raising the retirement age, which would cut benefits for millions of American seniors.
  5. LIE: Everyone is happy with overturning Roe v. Wade and the GOP is the “party of fertilization.” Trump will tie himself in knots on abortion rights and reproductive care, claiming that “all legal scholars, both sides” wanted Roe v. Wade overturned and now “we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint.” He’ll lie and say that abortion is “not that big of an issue” and even that the GOP is the “party of fertilization.” He has recently made bogus promises that the federal government will cover IVF.
    REALITY: Don’t believe Donald Trump’s lies on IVF and abortion. The GOP platform includes policies that would effectively ban IVF and abortion nationwide. He is responsible for the repeal of Roe v. Wade and the devastating consequences for reproductive health. Trump boasts that his appointees to the Supreme Court “broke Roe v. Wade” and the consequences for women’s health have been catastrophic, from cruel and archaic abortion bans to devastating uncertainty about access to IVF and other essential reproductive care. The MAGA agenda would see more extreme judicial appointments and an all-out push to use the Comstock Act to create a de facto national ban on abortions and sharply limit access to abortion medications like mifepristone.
ashoup
In News

The Biden-Harris Administration Delivered on a Lifetime of Health Care

From Birth to Retirement, the Biden-Harris Administration Has Lowered Costs and Increased Coverage

Since the start, the Biden-Harris administration has been committed to making health care a right, not a privilege, and ensuring people across the nation have the same quality health care no matter where they live or the color of their skin — throughout their entire lives. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, more people have health insurance coverage than ever before. Whether it’s lowering the cost of drugs, capping the monthly cost of insulin, or ensuring millions of Americans have access to affordable health insurance, this administration has fought for everyday Americans and won. 

Meanwhile, Republicans are continuing a war on our health care system by trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Inflation Reduction Act, cut funding from critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and ban Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices. The MAGA Republican Project 2025, a dangerous policy roadmap for another Trump presidency, calls for full repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug provisions that are saving Americans thousands of dollars on health care. In addition, big drug companies and their Republican allies are in court trying to ban Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices. They are determined to decimate our health care, leaving millions behind without coverage. 

Over the past four years, the Biden-Harris administration has made advancements in health care for all stages of life:

  • Birth: 
    • Launched a government-wide strategy for preventing maternal deaths and improving birth outcomes through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. 
    • Signed legislation giving states the option to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to a full year. Currently, 47 states including DC have elected to extend Medicaid coverage for a full year postpartum.
    • Established the first National Maternal Mental Health Hotline to provide emotional support, resources, and referrals to pregnant and postpartum women and their loved ones. 
    • Invested $105 million in funding to support more than 100 community-based organizations working to improve maternal and infant health.
  • Childhood: 
    • Signed legislation to guarantee 12-month continuous coverage for children on Medicaid and CHIP once they are enrolled, ensuring millions of families have reliable, affordable health coverage.
    • Fixed the “family glitch,” which blocked millions of families, primarily women and children, from accessing affordable coverage from the ACA. The fix will expand coverage and lower health care costs for more than one million Americans.
    • Simplified how millions of Americans, including children, apply for and renew coverage through Medicaid, CHIP, and the Basic Health Program (BHP). The rule also applies new consumer protections from the ACA to Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, like banning lifetime limits and waiting periods.
  • Adult: 
    • Lowered health insurance costs for people buying coverage on their own through enhanced premium tax credits, making coverage affordable for more people than ever. 
    • Protected consumers and limited short-term junk plans that do not need to cover pre-existing conditions, which often use deceptive marketing practices and leave American families with staggering medical bills.
    • Protected Americans from surprise medical bills from emergency room visits, non-emergency out-of-network visits at in-network facilities, and air ambulance services for out-of-network providers.
  • Senior:
    • Capped insulin prices at no more than $35 monthly for all Medicare beneficiaries beginning in January 2023 — saving seniors up to $1,500 annually.
    • Limited annual out-of-pocket spending to $2,000 starting in 2025, giving over 46.6 million Americans with Medicare Part D more reassurance and financial stability.
    • Gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, which will save taxpayers billions of dollars and lower costs for some of the most popular and expensive prescription drugs. 
    • Provided free vaccines, such as shingles and Tdap, at no cost starting in 2023.
    • Required drug companies to pay Medicare a rebate when they hike prices faster than the rate of inflation. This will not only save the government billions of dollars, but it will drastically reduce out-of-pocket costs for seniors and people with disabilities.
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In News

Reminder: MAGA Republicans Want to Raise Costs and Rip Away Health Care

As Democrats celebrate their accomplishments and lay out their vision for the future at the Democratic National Convention, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are working to take America backwards. Time and again, MAGA Republicans have made clear plans for American health care: they are going to fight tooth and nail to raise costs, deny coverage to millions of people, and slash funding for Medicare and Medicaid. In 2023 alone, Republicans tried to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s measures that make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors, impose burdensome Medicaid paperwork requirements designed to throw people off of coverage, and weaken protections for 135 million people with pre-existing conditions. Donald Trump has also reignited calls to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) entirely, giving new life to Republicans’ longtime war on health care. 

Key points of the GOP health care plan include:

  • Repealing the ACA
  • Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act
  • Hiking drug costs for seniors
  • Slashing Medicare and Medicaid funding
  • Putting drug and insurance companies back in charge

If Republicans are successful in enacting their health care plan, 46 million Americans across the country risk losing coverage, 20 million will see higher premiums, and 67 million people on Medicare will have to pay increased drug costs for lifesaving medications. 

Read more here: Project 2025 Aims to Raise Costs and Throw Our Health Care System Into Chaos

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In News, Fact Sheet, Research

FACT SHEET: President Biden’s Health Care Legacy is a BFD!

As the Democratic National Convention kicks off, Protect Our Care celebrates President Biden’s health care legacy. During his Presidency, Joe Biden has built on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), safeguarding its consumer protections and boosting access to affordable health care for millions of Americans by lowering costs and addressing health inequities. He signed the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, lowering prescription costs and premiums, and he has fought to protect and strengthen Medicare and Medicaid. Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“Joe Biden’s health care legacy is a BFD. There would not be an Inflation Reduction Act without Joe Biden – he created it, he fought aggressively for it for months, he refused to give up, and his legislative skills made it happen. As President, he built on the success of the ACA, standing up to greedy drug companies, lowering the cost of drugs and health insurance and expanding affordable health care to millions of people across America. He kept America safe during the pandemic and launched the cancer moonshot program. He has paved the way for a future where every American has the health care they need and where health care is a right, not a privilege.” 

“Joe Biden has always been a health care champion; he sponsored a bill during his first year in the Senate establishing a Medicare drug price negotiation program and he partnered with President Obama to pass the ACA. Every American’s health care is better and more affordable today because of Joe Biden.”

The Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan:

  • Protect seniors from prescription drug hikes. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, when drug companies hike prices faster than the rate of inflation, they will have to pay Medicare a rebate. This has not only saved the government billions of dollars, but it has drastically reduced out-of-pocket costs for people on Medicare. In June 2024 alone, the Biden-Harris administration announced that some seniors and people with disabilities will pay less for 64 drugs available through Medicare Part B thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s rebate program.
  • Give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, which will save taxpayers billions of dollars and lower costs for some of the most popular and expensive prescription drugs. By 2030, 80 of the most expensive prescription drugs will have lower prices because of these negotiations. This month, the Biden-Harris administration announced the new, lower prices for 10 of the highest-cost, most popular drugs taken by nearly 9 million people on Medicare who spent $3.9 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2023. In the first year alone, these newly lowered prices will save seniors $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs and will save taxpayers $6 billion, slashing the list prices of the first ten drugs by 38–79 percent. Amidst negotiations, the Biden-Harris administration has also successfully fended off lawsuit after lawsuit from big drug companies and their allies seeking to ban Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices.
  • Cap drug costs for seniors. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Part D plans are required to cap annual out-of-pocket spending to $2,000 by 2025, giving more than 50 million Americans with Medicare Part D more reassurance and financial stability. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, this particularly helps seniors with serious conditions like cancer and Multiple Sclerosis. Seniors will also continue to save on insulin and vaccines.
  • Cut insulin costs. The Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin prices at no more than $35 starting January 2023 — saving seniors up to $1,500 annually. In response to calls from President Biden, the three largest insulin manufacturers announced $35 monthly out-of-pocket cost caps, lowering costs of about 90% of the insulin on the market.
  • Provide free vaccines for seniors. Millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare Part D have access to covered vaccines, such as shingles and Tdap, at no cost. HHS found that over 10 million people on Medicare received a free vaccine thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • Lower health insurance premiums for millions of Americans. The American Rescue plan lowered costs for millions by increasing financial assistance for people who buy coverage on their own and making financial assistance more widely available to middle-class families, ensuring people purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplaces will not pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for coverage. The Inflation Reduction Act carried on those provisions, and families continue to save an average of $2,400 a year on their health insurance premiums.
  • Cap the amount of money families pay for health insurance. The Inflation Reduction Act ensures families pay no more than 8.5 percent of their income towards coverage.
  • Eliminate premiums for low-wage workers. The Inflation Reduction Act and American Rescue Plan ensured no American with an income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level buying their coverage on the Marketplace will pay a premium.
  • Provide extra savings for low-income seniors. The Inflation Reduction Act expanded the Medicare Extra Help program, and the Biden-Harris administration announced investments in helping up to 3 million eligible seniors and people with disabilities enroll in the Extra Help program in 2023 to benefit from the program’s lower cost premiums, deductibles, and copayments.
  • Expand coverage and build on public health emergency continuous coverage protections. The American Rescue Plan provided robust financial incentives for the states that have not yet implemented Medicaid expansion. 
  • Create a pathway to coverage for new mothers. The American Rescue Plan called on states to extend postpartum coverage under Medicaid from two months to a full year following pregnancy, when most negative health outcomes occur.

Safeguarding and Building on The Affordable Care Act

“This Is A Big F*cking Deal:” Then-Vice President Biden Championed The Affordable Care Act. In 2010, the Obama-Biden administration and Democrats in Congress passed the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, transforming the American health care system. The ACA cemented protections for more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, expanded Medicaid coverage to about 24 million people, and established affordable health care marketplaces now providing quality coverage for over 21.3 million people who buy insurance on their own. Then-Vice President Joe Biden championed the bill, telling then-President Obama, “This is a big f*cking deal.” Not only did President Biden champion the law, but he worked to strengthen it and protect it from Republican attacks: 

  • President Biden opened a Special Enrollment Period, allowing millions of Americans to enroll in affordable coverage. Just days into his presidency, President Biden issued an executive order reopening HealthCare.gov for a special enrollment period to help Americans gain coverage as they continue to suffer from the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. 2.8 million Americans enrolled during the Special Enrollment Period (SEP), with particularly large increases in enrollment for Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaska Native people. 
  • President Biden defended the ACA from lawsuits seeking to dismantle all or part of the law. Less than a month into his Presidency, President Biden defended the Affordable Care Act in California v. Texas, the lawsuit before the Supreme Court to completely dismantle the law. The Biden-Harris administration has also defended a major provision of the ACA that requires no-cost coverage of lifesaving preventive health care services in Braidwood Management v. Becerra.
  • President Biden rolled back the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine the ACA and revoke consumer protections. In his first days in office, President Biden directed federal agencies to re-examine Trump-era policies that undermine the ACA. His administration has since taken steps to revoke Trump administration actions undermining the ACA’s consumer protections. In March, the Biden-Harris administration issued a final rule to protect consumers and limit short-term junk plans that do not need to cover pre-existing conditions, often use deceptive marketing practices, and leave American families with staggering medical bills. In April, the Biden-Harris administration issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the ACA to advance health care protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, natural origin, sex, age, and disability. That same month, the Biden-Harris administration also reversed a Trump-era regulation allowing insurance companies to sell junk plans known as association health plans.
  • President Biden invested millions in ACA outreach. The Biden-Harris administration made historic investments in outreach, announcing $500 million in grants over the next five years for the Navigators program. The program plays a key role in helping people across the country sign up for health care coverage through ACA marketplace plans.
  • President Biden launched executive actions strengthening building on the ACA by protecting people with pre-existing conditions and making it easier for low-income enrollees. The Biden-Harris administration announced new executive actions to lower health care costs and protect people with pre-existing conditions. The new actions eliminate surprise medical bills and limit junk insurance plans that do not need to cover people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, cancer, and diabetes. In April, the administration also announced new policies to strengthen the ACA, making it easier for low-income Americans to enroll in coverage, increasing access to routine adult dental services, and setting standards for the time and distance people need to travel for appointments for in-network providers. 
  • President Biden expanded affordable health care to DACA recipients under the ACA. In May, the Biden-Harris administration finalized a policy to expand affordable health care to DACA recipients through the ACA. CMS estimates that this rule could lead to 100,000 previously uninsured DACA gaining coverage. 
  • Under President Biden, a record-breaking 21.3 million Americans signed up for affordable health care through ACA marketplaces. Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris administration announced that a record 21.3 million Americans have signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces – over nine million more than when President Biden took office. 80 percent of enrollees were also able to find a health plan through the Marketplace for $10 or less per month thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act lowering health insurance premiums.
  • President Biden fixed the “family glitch,” expanding ACA marketplace eligibility to over one million Americans. In October 2022, the Biden-Harris administration issued a final rule to fix the “family glitch,” which blocked millions of families from accessing affordable coverage through the ACA marketplaces – expanding coverage and lowering health care costs for more than one million Americans.

Strengthening and Protecting Medicaid and Medicare

President Biden Has Worked To Strengthen and Protect Medicaid and Medicare. Throughout his Presidency, President Biden has made protecting and strengthening Medicaid and Medicare – which cover hundreds of millions of Americans – a cornerstone of his health agenda. During his tenure, President Biden has:

  • Protected Medicaid from budget cuts.
  • Cracked down on Trump’s disastrous paperwork requirements.
  • Pushed to make it easier for millions of eligible people to enroll in Medicaid, reducing red tape and simplifying applications, verifications, enrollment, and renewals for health care coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
  • Signed legislation guaranteeing 12-month continuous coverage for kids on Medicaid and CHIP and announced a rule standardizing enrollment and renewal processes nationwide. The rule also applied consumer protections from the ACA to Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, like banning lifetime limits and waiting periods.
  • Fought to protect people on Medicaid from disenrollment. In September 2023, the Biden-Harris announced that nearly 500,000 children and adults who were improperly disenrolled from Medicaid and CHIP would regain their coverage thanks to their actions. 
  • Established national Medicaid and CHIP standards for patient wait times and travel distance, ensuring that people who rely on Medicaid have meaningful access to health care services including primary care, behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and OB/GYN care. The Biden-Harris administration also announced minimum staffing standards at nursing homes to promote safety and high-quality care for 1.2 million seniors and people with disabilities. 
  • Pushed for prescription drug transparency in Medicaid. 
  • Cracked down on Medicare Advantage plan providers publishing misleading ads.

Lowering Costs and Improving Health Care

President Biden Has Fought To Lower Drug Costs, Including Inhalers. In December 2023, the Biden-Harris administration announced plans to lower prices for certain high-priced medicines by developing a policy for using federal “march-in rights” to license drugs to other manufacturers who could sell them for less in order to stop price gouging and boost competition between drug manufacturers to lower prices for patients. That same month, the Biden-Harris administration announced a new policy to ensure the best value for taxpayers by establishing a fair pricing standard for medical products purchased by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. In March, President Biden hosted an event to celebrate lower inhaler costs following the FTC’s recent crackdown on drug companies that use improper patents to keep the price of inhalers too high. In response, two drugmakers have capped out-of-pocket costs for some top-selling inhalers at $35 per month. 

President Biden Has Fought To Improve Health Equity and Access to Health Care. President Biden has taken steps during his presidency to address health inequities, issuing several executive orders and new agency rules. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order calling for the federal government to advance an ambitious, whole-of-government equity agenda. In April 2022, he signed another executive order focused on continued efforts to expand access to affordable, quality health coverage, and in February 2023, President Biden signed a new executive order aiming to strengthen and reaffirm the administration’s commitment to deliver equity. In September 2023, the Biden-Harris administration released a historic proposed rule that strengthens prohibitions against discrimination for people with disabilities in any program or activity receiving funding from HHS.

President Biden Has Worked Tirelessly To Address Maternal Health. President Biden has worked to address the maternal mortality crisis and invest in maternal health. In June 2022, the Biden-Harris administration released a whole-of-government blueprint for combating maternal mortality and morbidity. In March, President Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize women’s health research, including studying conditions like menopause, arthritis, and heart disease and in April, the Biden-Harris administration invested $105 million in funding to support more than 100 community-based organizations working to improve maternal and infant health.

President Biden Has Prioritized Reproductive Health Care As MAGA Republicans Rolled Out Abortion Bans and Pushed For Limited Contraception Access. In the wake of the MAGA Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and rolling back nearly 50 years of abortion protections, President Biden has made protecting reproductive health care a top priority. Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, President Biden signed an Executive Order seeking to protect access to reproductive health care services and defend women’s fundamental rights. He has issued executive orders strengthening access to affordable contraception and family planning services and rolling back Trump’s gag rule barring family planning providers from mentioning abortion to patients to receive Title X funding. The Biden-Harris administration also recently released new guidance reminding state Medicaid agencies that they must ensure enrollees have access to comprehensive family planning services.

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In Research, Fact Sheet, News

FACT SHEET: Medicaid Is A Lifeline For People With Disabilities

April marks the 7th annual Medicaid Awareness Month. Medicaid is a vital source of care for people with disabilities across the country and helps ensure they can access quality care. Up to 1 in 4 Americans have some type of disability. The program also provides half of all long-term care in the United States, which includes essential home- and community-based services for people with disabilities. Protecting access to Medicaid is essential for ensuring that people with disabilities get the care they need. 

Medicaid is a popular, lifesaving program, but Republicans want to cut it and rip coverage away from millions of hardworking families. Voters agree that it is important to prevent harmful cuts to Medicaid that would reduce health care access. Yet the latest GOP scheme slashes trillions from Medicaid and would throw millions of people off their coverage through block granting and burdensome work reporting requirements. These requirements are especially cruel for Americans with disabilities who may not be able to work long hours or secure a health-related exemption from the requirement. Republicans also won’t quit their mission to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid expansion, putting health care for millions of people in jeopardy.  

By The Numbers 

  • 1 In 3 Medicaid Enrollees Have A Disability. One-third of Medicaid enrollees report having a disability, and 11 percent of enrollees qualified for Medicaid based on a disability determination.
  • Up To 1 In 4 U.S. Adults Have A Disability. Up to 27 percent of American adults have some type of disability. Medicaid covers 43 percent of nonelderly adults with disabilities, including adults with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and mental illnesses.
  • Over 10 Million Non-Elderly Adults Are Enrolled in Medicaid Due To At Least One Disability. More than 10 million people under age 65 enrolled in Medicaid qualified as a result of a disability determination. Other individuals with disabilities may qualify for Medicaid due to age, pregnancy, or income.
  • Medicaid Covers Half Of All Long-Term Care. The Medicaid program provides half of all long-term care in the United States, which includes essential home- and community-based services for people with disabilities.
  • Millions Lose Medicaid Coverage In Unwinding Post-Pandemic. As Medicaid transitions back to its pre-pandemic eligibility and enrollment rules, too many people are losing coverage because of the carelessness and callousness of certain Republican governors who are terminating coverage for people who may still be eligible. Americans with disabilities are at an increased risk of losing Medicaid coverage due to the renewal process barrier, regardless of whether individuals remain eligible.

Americans with disabilities have faced barriers to achieving and maintaining optimal health. They are 1.4x more likely to have obesity, 2x more likely to smoke, 2x more likely to have diabetes, and 2.8x more likely to have heart disease. Yet 1 in 4 report having an unmet health care need because of cost in the past year and the same proportion report not having a usual health care provider. Medicaid enrollees with disabilities have access to regular preventive care and treatment for chronic illnesses and conditions. States are also required to provide key services for adults, such as hospital stays, physician, lab, and x-ray services, and nursing home care.

In 2010, the ACA opened the door for states to expand Medicaid, and the results are piling in: Medicaid expansion works. In addition to providing coverage for about 24 million people, expansion has resulted in healthier people, communities, and economies. Study after study shows that Medicaid expansion increases access to care, improves financial security, and leads to better health outcomes for people with disabilities. 

People With Disabilities Rely On Medicaid Expansion For Coverage. More than six in 10 nonelderly Medicaid adults with disabilities do not receive SSI, meaning that they qualify for Medicaid on another basis (such as income, or as parents in non-expansion states). Medicaid is a significant source of health care coverage for these adults, providing critical access to care for serious health conditions and supporting those in the workforce.

Medicaid Expansion Helps Adults With Disabilities Gain Access To Affordable Care Without Having To Wait. Medicaid expansion helps adults with disabilities gain quicker access to coverage without waiting for a disability determination, which can take years. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid expansion has allowed people gain coverage who previously were not eligible for coverage and otherwise would have been uninsured. Many uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions who would not have qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance yet are also eligible for coverage under Medicaid expansion.

Medicaid Expansion Has Improved Health Care Services For People With Disabilities. According to the same 2021 study, Medicaid expansion often improves the services provided to people with disabilities, as states have been able to provide better coverage of critical services including specialized treatments and coverage for behavioral health concerns and other chronic conditions.

Medicaid Expansion Reduces Out-Of-Pocket Health Care Spending, Which Is Especially Important For People With Disabilities Who Often Have Limited Incomes. A majority, or nearly 85 percent, of adults with disabilities who have Medicaid coverage earn annual incomes of less than 200 percent of the FPL, $12,060 for an individual, making access to affordable health care even more essential. In 2022, CMS adopted rules to lower maximum out-of-pocket costs by $400.

Medicaid Is One Of The Most Effective Anti-Poverty Programs, Particularly For People With Disabilities. Medicaid reduces poverty by limiting out-of-pocket spending and expanding state-level Medicaid programs.  The average out-of-pocket spending decreased in states that expanded Medicaid. The poverty-reducing effects were greatest for adults with disabilities, elderly, children, and racial/ethnic minorities.

Medicaid Expansion Has Increased Employment For People With Disabilities. According to a 2021 study, individuals with disabilities living in Medicaid expansion states are more likely to be employed than those living in non-expansion states. In expansion states, people with disabilities have seen increased health coverage and employment rates compared to non-expansion states. On the other hand, Republican-backed work reporting requirements reduce employment and can jeopardize health care for people with disabilities because definitions are outdated and don’t accommodate many types of disabilities that affect peoples’ ability to work. 

Hundreds of Thousands of Americans With Disabilities Are Stuck Without Coverage In States That Have Refused to Expand Medicaid. 10 states have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), stranding many adults with low incomes in the Medicaid coverage gap. As a result, over 265,000 Americans with disabilities with incomes below the federal poverty level are ineligible for Medicaid or ACA marketplace assistance in these states. Over half of these individuals reside in Texas or Florida, and adults with disabilities form at least 20 percent of those in the Medicaid coverage gap in Alabama, South Carolina, Kansas, Tennessee, and Wyoming. 

 

Medicaid Helps People With Disabilities Access Comprehensive, Consistent Long-Term Care. Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities comprised 95 percent of the fees for service of long-term care services while making up less than 25 percent of people who are enrolled in the program. 

  • Medicaid Provides Half Of Long-Term Care In The U.S. Medicaid provides half the nation’s long-term care – a broad category encompassing a critical array of services available for people with prolonged illnesses, disabilities, and other chronic conditions. Medicaid providers and consumers have worked to broaden access to care in at-home and community-based settings, where many seniors and people with disabilities would prefer to live.

Increased Medicaid Funding For Caregivers Benefits People With Disabilities. The Biden-Harris administration recently finalized new rules that require Medicaid to provide increased funding for home care services, a critical component of care for millions of people with disabilities who rely on care workers to meet their basic needs while living in their homes and communities.

Protect Our Care will continue to host events and activities throughout Medicaid Awareness Month, which includes the following themes each week:

  • Week 1: Republican threats to Medicaid. In the first week of Medicaid Awareness Month, Protect Our Care focused on how Republicans are actively seeking cuts to Medicaid while GOP leaders in 10 states continue to block Medicaid expansion. 
  • Week 2: Medicaid helps people of color and rural Americans. In week two, Protect Our Care highlighted how Medicaid is a critical tool to expand access to coverage, which together with policies that address other social and structural determinants of health, narrow stark disparities in health care, improve families’ financial security, and make people healthier. 
  • Week 3: Medicaid helps women and kids. For week three, Protect Our Care brought attention to the vital role of Medicaid for mothers and children across the country.
  • Week 4: Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities. The final week focuses on how Medicaid helps seniors and people with disabilities access lifesaving care. 
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