Rep. Schakowsky hosts conference addressing impact of Medicaid cuts

Plans by Republicans in Congress to slash Medicaid by more than 100 billion dollars in coming years is an act of “cruelty” that could impact tens of million of Americans who count on the program to survive, said U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

“This is a lifeline for so many people,” said Schakowsky (IL-09), and Democratic Chief Deputy Whip and Senior Budget Committee Member.

“Cruelty seems to be the point in what they did.” she added during an April 27 virtual news conference discussing the GOP’s ongoing threats to Medicaid. “To me it’s just shocking that in the United States of America, the richest country in the world, at the richest moment in history … we need to protect our care.”

Many observers say the Republican plan passed in the House in late April to cut Medicaid will not pass in the Senate and would be vetoed by President Biden. But Schakowsky and others said the passage of House Bill 217-215 amounts to another attempt by Republicans to cut health care benefits to tens of millions of Americans who need it most by requiring they submit to stringent new work requirements, among other things.

Republicans also say cuts to Medicare would reduce government spending, and force many of the 92 million Americans receiving Medicare benefits to return to the labor force at a time when many businesses are desperately looking for workers, a claim that Schakowsky balked at. She said that if the proposed cuts are made into law, 220,000 people in her Congressional district, which includes Evanston, would see a decline in the Medicare benefits they get.

More than 100,000 Illinois residents are expected to receive letters this month regarding their Medicaid eligibility and what they can do to retain their benefits to a program that covers nearly 4 million people across the state. Letter recipients will have until June 1 to submit proof they still qualify. If not, coverage will be lost by July 1.

“Most people of working age who get Medicaid are either already working, are taking care of children or family members, often older people in their families, so they’re care givers, are attending school or have health issues they’re dealing with that prevent them from working,” she said. “Most people if they can, they want to work and they want to be able to work a job that will provide some semblance of a living wage.”

Nicole Jorwic, Chief of Campaigns and Advocacy for Caring Across Generations, said that more than 70% of Medicaid beneficiaries are working and many of the rest of them are care providers for family members and others.

“Meeting basic life sustaining needs should not be contingent on meeting a work requirement,” she said during the virtual news conference. “The Republican plan to take Medicaid away from people who do not meet a work requirement would mean that people who are in poor health or have a disability would lose health care. They have all these exceptions but they just don’t work.”

Republicans want to cut Medicare by $110 billion over the next 10 years and if that happens health care for veterans, funding for cancer research and health care for mental health and substance abuse treatments would suffer, Anne Shoup, Communications Director for Protect Our Care, said during the news conference.

“These draconian cuts will take desperately needed health care away from families across the nation,” she said.

“In Vermont, we’re really proud of our health care system,” U.S. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) said during the news conference. “We have about the lowest uninsured population and we have a healthy population even though we’re an ‘older’ state.”

“I’m very much opposed to what would be significant cuts,” he said. “I will do all I can to make certain that the Medicaid access continues for Vermonters and for all Americans.”

Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.