Healthcare leaders, families and pediatricians shared concerns Wednesday that federal cuts to Medicaid’s budget would strain services and raise health care costs for millions of Californians.
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego, joined the health care providers and community leaders at Rady Children’s Hospital to highlight what they see as the dangerous potential impacts of President Donald Trump’s and Republicans’ proposals to dismantle Medicaid, which serves low-income individuals who lack health insurance.
In California, the program is known as Medi-Cal, with almost 15 million people enrolled – almost 40% of the state’s residents. Nationwide, nearly 80 million Americans rely on Medicaid, making it the largest public health insurance program in the U.S.
The GOP is seeking cuts of $880 billion across the federal government, which could mean hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, leaving millions of seniors, children, veterans and people with disabilities without health care.
Padilla accused Republicans of putting “Medicaid on the chopping block” in order to “pay for President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires,” Padilla said in a news release
“California leads the nation in innovative approaches to health care and expanding access to care for our most vulnerable communities, and any cut to Medi-Cal will have a ripple effect on our entire health care system, especially for our kids,” Padilla said. “Families are more than just line items on President Trump’s expense sheet; they rely on Medi-Cal to survive, and I will never back down from protecting their access to lifesaving care.”
One in six people in San Diego County benefit from Medi-Cal, Jacobs said, and proposed cuts by Republicans will sacrifice “people’s lives and our economic security … all to pay for big tax cuts for corporations and the 1 percent.”
Padilla and Jacobs spoke alongside Rady’s Co-President and CEO, Dr. Patrick Frias, Executive Vice President of Operations for San Ysidro Health Veronica Dela Rosa, health care providers, and impacted families.
Over half of Rady Children’s Health’s patients are covered by Medi-Cal; Medi-Cal recipients represent 65% of San Ysidro’s patient population.
Both Padilla and Jacobs have joined fellow senators and other representatives in issuing pleas to prevent cuts.
Padilla and 30 colleagues last month sent a letter urging the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to refrain from making cuts to Medicaid and Medicare after Elon Musk and department officials gained access to key payment and contracting systems at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
In the House, Jacobs and scores of colleagues sent a similar letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, urging him to reject proposed cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Padilla, Jacobs Hear Healthcare Leaders’ Fears Over Fallout from Proposed Medicaid Cuts )
Also on site :
- Golf: JJ Spaun wins rainy US Open for first major title
- Israeli rescuers say latest Iran strikes kill five, wound 92
- Nitish Rana and wife Saachi Marwah blessed with twins, share adorable post