National coalition urges Congress to reject proposed Medicaid cuts

The Partnership for Medicaid, a nationwide coalition of organizations including the ADA, is calling on Congress to reject cuts to Medicaid during the budget reconciliation process.  

The nonpartisan coalition includes organizations representing clinicians, health care providers, safety net health plans and counties. In a Feb. 6 statement, the Partnership for Medicaid expressed interest in working with policymakers “to identify more sustainable strategies to strengthen Medicaid and improve on its promise of providing high-quality coverage and access to care for populations in need.” 

Medicaid plays an important role in providing access to health care, and according to the statement, state programs are already stretched thin financially. The Medicaid program currently provides health coverage to more than 80 million low-income residents.  

“We are concerned that the proposals being discussed would shift more of the program’s costs onto state and local governments, providers, plans, patients and local taxpayers that would not be able to absorb them,” the coalition said. “We are also concerned about efforts to limit each state’s ability to expand coverage and ensure adequate payment for covered services.” 

The statement also said efforts to cut costs will lead to long-term consequences, such as increased costs of uncompensated care, the loss of thousands of jobs — especially in rural areas where people are more likely to rely on Medicaid, and higher health care costs when conditions are not treated early.  

The ADA has previously called for public policy reforms to improve Medicaid access, working closely with lawmakers and regulators to overcome barriers to dental care.  

For more information on the ADA’s advocacy efforts, visit ADA.org/Advocacy.