Health care for Michigans and people across the country is under attack from Republican lawmakers they support. legislation Leslie Duck, founder and chairman of Protect Our Care, said at a press conference Thursday morning that this could end Medicaid coverage for one million Michigan residents.
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives Restrictions, Conservation, and Growth Methods with a margin of 217-215 last week. The legislation would temporarily raise the nation’s borrowing limit and cut spending by cutting key pieces of President Joe Biden’s climate and tax legislation that the Biden administration has. Said can accommodate about 21 million Americans 930,000 Michigan – At risk of losing Medicaid coverage.the bill faces oppose In the Democratic-led US Senate, President Biden swore To refuse if legislation gets to his desk.
“This is the latest salvo in the ongoing Republican war on healthcare, which includes: 50 attempts Repeal the Affordable Care Act,” said Duck, who runs a nonprofit that advocates for accessible and affordable health care across the country, and a Republican-backed law held by Democrats. talked about dubbing “American Default Act”.
Thursday’s press conference included Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Senator Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) and Theo Brady, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Council on Independent Living. You have to participate. An organization that advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities. All who answered the call condemned Republican efforts to cut Medicaid benefits so that people with disabilities and those in nursing homes, including those in nursing homes, could access the medical care they needed to survive. said that the number of
“All Americans have a right to quality, affordable health care,” US Congressman Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) said at a press conference. “When you’re sick, you should go to the doctor. When you’re sick, you don’t have to ask if you can afford medicine.”
Medicaid is the country’s public health insurance program that provides health insurance to approximately 85.2 million low-income adults, pregnant women and children nationwide. About 60% of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members who provide Medicaid to low-income youth Under 26Currently, about 3.2 million Michigans, about one-third of the state’s population, are covered by some form of Medicaid. according to To federal statistics.
Advocates say those numbers would be slashed under the Limit, Preserve, and Grow Act passed by most House Republicans. Four Republicans, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Matt Gates of Florida, joined Democrats in voting against.
“As a country, we care about our children, and we need to prove that by supporting and strengthening Medicaid,” Casey said Thursday. If you believe it, you’ll have to prove it in a variety of ways, including protecting Medicaid.
“Each year, Republicans in the House and Senate voted in favor of a budget that cuts the Medicaid program by tens of billions of dollars each time,” Casey continued. “The good news is we’ve stopped them every time.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) Said At a press conference last week, the Limit, Save, and Grow Act “represents the most common-sense and straightforward approach to addressing the spending problems that have brought us here in the face of the debt ceiling.” said.
The Act Raises the State’s $31.4 Trillion Borrowing Cap to $1.5 Trillion or Until March 31, 2024, Whichever Comes Earlier, While Projecting to Reduce Federal Deficits by $4.8 Trillion Over the Next Decade It has been. according to to the Congressional Budget Office.
The Biden administration and other Democrats said Congress must address the debt limit in a separate bill, and that discussions on tax and spending policy should take place in the annual budget and appropriation process.
“Don’t let people slip through the cracks.”
Restriction, preservation, and growth laws occur at approx. 15 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage following the end of emergency pandemic benefits that Congress passed at the onset of COVID-19, supporters said Thursday.
Congress Family First Coronavirus Response Law Shortly after the pandemic began in 2020, the state’s Medicaid program included a requirement to keep beneficiaries enrolled continuously until the COVID-19 public health emergency was over.Instead of banning states from excluding people from the Medicaid list, the federal government offered Additional Medicaid Matching Funds.
Over the next few years, the number of people accessing Medicaid in Michigan increased by about 700,000. according to to the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). About 2.1 million Michigans are currently enrolled in traditional Medicaid programs, and another 1.07 million in the state are enrolled in Medicaid programs provided through DHHS and licensed under the Affordable Care Act. It’s part of the Healthy Michigan Plan.
Currently, about one-third of the state’s population is covered by some form of Medicaid. Starting April 1, they will all have to reapply for their benefits after Congress passes a law that allows states to review and, in some cases, exclude individuals from Medicaid coverage.
The bipartisan House Finance Office report As many as 400,000 Michigans could lose their Medicaid coverage under this review.
While some are removed for exceeding federal benefits limits, as many as 7 million people nationwide have access to Medicaid health through bureaucracy alone, such as when they didn’t know they needed to reapply. You may lose your insurance. Dutch said.
“Thankfully, the governors of Pennsylvania and Michigan are doing their best to keep voters up to date, but in many states like Florida, Georgia and Texas, the picture isn’t quite as clear.” Mr Duck said.
Dingel said Medicaid registrants will know when they need to renew. www.michigan.gov/MI BridgesBetween June 2023 and May 2024, Michigan residents will receive a letter informing them of how and when they should reapply for Medicaid.
“We cannot allow people to slip through the cracks and lose important coverage just because they don’t have the proper paperwork or don’t know what steps to take to get bureaucratic. “And it’s especially important that individuals with disabilities receive the support they need to navigate this difficult transition.”
We cannot allow people to slip through the cracks and lose critical coverage just because they don’t have the proper paperwork or don’t know what steps to take to handle the red tape. .
– U.S. Congressman Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor)
DHHS Said In the press release, Michigan residents who have lost their Medicaid eligibility will receive information about other affordable health care options available. healthcare.gov.
“MDHHS is strongly committed to ensuring that Michigan residents who qualify for Medicaid coverage remain enrolled,” said DHHS Director Elizabeth Hartel. advance on thursday. “More than 3 million Michigans, including 1 million healthy Michigan subscribers, benefited from maintaining Medicaid coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic without having to redetermine eligibility. MDHHS is prepared to assist residents affected by changes in coverage.”
Brady, of the National Council on Independent Living, said at a news conference on Thursday that the reduction in Medicaid coverage would particularly harm blacks, indigenous peoples and other people of color with disabilities.
“The ongoing enrollment policy of the pandemic has enabled people with disabilities to rely on Medicaid as their primary health insurance and receive better, more consistent care with better health outcomes.” Brady said, “States should strive to actively reach out to older adults and people with disabilities who may be deregistered and connect them with other providers, such as managed care providers.” .”
Both Dingell and Casey plan to combat ongoing and future cuts in Medicaid, aiming to expand rather than cut health insurance for both state residents and the nation.
“It’s important that people understand that Medicaid is the largest long-term care payer in this country,” Dingell said. “There are too many families who can’t afford it. You have to work with people with disabilities to know.You are not in the shoes of someone desperate to take care of someone they love.”
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