National Patient Organizations United in Opposition to House Budget Resolution that Threatens Medicaid Coverage for Millions

This week, the House of Representatives is expected to consider a budget resolution instructing the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut spending by $880 billion, with most of these cuts expected to come from the Medicaid program. Given the devastating impact these cuts would have on the almost 80 million people with Medicaid and CHIP coverage nationwide, 38 national patient advocacy organizations released the following statement, urging lawmakers to vote no on the budget resolution:

"Our organizations strongly oppose the House budget resolution, which requires massive cuts that can only be achieved by decimating the Medicaid program. There is no way to make cuts of this magnitude without taking healthcare away from seniors, children, and people with disabilities and chronic health conditions. We and the patients we represent have repeatedly voiced our opposition about the devastating, real world consequences of Medicaid cuts and urge lawmakers to oppose the budget resolution.

"Cuts of this magnitude would require enormous changes - such as instituting per capita caps, reducing the federal match rate for Medicaid expansion, adding barriers to coverage including work reporting requirements, and repealing rules that strengthen enrollment processes and access to care in Medicaid - that would severely harm many individuals fighting serious and chronic health conditions. Our organizations oppose any cuts to either traditional or Medicaid expansion that take away coverage, jeopardize access to services and providers, shift costs to states, and reduce patients' access to care.

"Simply put, it is impossible to achieve the $880 billion savings target for the Energy and Commerce Committee without making deep cuts to the Medicaid program. And it is impossible to structure these cuts in a way that protects seniors, children, and people with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

"We urge members to vote no on this and all other legislation that threatens access to Medicaid coverage."

AiArthritis ALS Association American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network American Heart Association American Kidney Fund American Liver Foundation American Lung Association Arthritis Foundation Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Autoimmune Association Cancer Support Community CancerCare Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Epilepsy Foundation of America Family Voices National Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research Hemophilia Federation of America Immune Deficiency Foundation Lupus Foundation of America Lutheran Services in America March of Dimes Muscular Dystrophy Association National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National Bleeding Disorders Foundation National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship National Eczema Association National Health Council National Kidney Foundation National Multiple Sclerosis Society National Organization for Rare Disorders National Patient Advocate Foundation National Psoriasis Foundation Pulmonary Hypertension Association Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. Susan G. Komen The AIDS Institute The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

This press release was originally posted here.