IDAHO FALLS — Hundreds of men and women with disabilities and their families gathered to take a stand for Medicaid.
“It’s critical to my family’s stability,” participant Lana Gonzales said. “I’m hoping that we can send a signal of just how very important Medicaid is the families to that rely on it.”
A rally was held outside of U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo’s offices on Memorial Drive in Idaho Falls on Monday afternoon. Participants held signs that read, “Medicaid Matters,” and walked around the Idaho Falls Riverwalk. Marchers said they worry the U.S. government could make crucial cuts to Medicaid.
Gonzales said it seems some don’t completely understand how critical Medicaid is for those who rely on it.
“It’s a matter of life and death. Without Medicaid, people could pass away. How very important it is for our families who could not survive without it,” Gonzales said.
Scott Lynch is on the Board of Trustees for Bonneville Joint School District 93 said Medicaid cuts affect school districts tremendously. He also participated in Monday’s rally.
“Medicaid is kind of looking dim. It’s on the chopping block,” Lynch said.
He said the rally’s purpose was to get the word out about how much Medicaid really offers Idaho, especially from the standpoint of public education.
“The schools rely on Medicaid because they bill for those services. It’s such a big help to the schools districts that have Medicaid so they can help these kids in our schools and help them progress,” Lynch said.
Lynch said his 11-year-old son has autism and has benefitted greatly from Medicaid services.
“When he first was diagnosed with autism, he was nonverbal for many years. He couldn’t even speak, he couldn’t even say simple words,” Lynch said. “Because of the services he’s received through Medicaid, he’s able to talk, his behaviors have improved dramatically, he’s been able to be in a mainstream, typical classroom.”
Simpson is one of 217 lawmakers who voted to pass the American Health Care Act. The policy will potentially make “deep cuts” into Medicaid services while eliminating assurance of health coverage for people with disabilities as well as their families, according to a news release from the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Some $900 billion could be eliminated from Medicaid nationwide over a 10-year period. Medicaid provides health and long-term care coverage to more than 70 million low-income children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities in the United States, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
In Idaho, the majority if Medicaid spending is for people with disabilities or the elderly, reports CloseTheGapIdaho.org.
KFF.org states that GOP leaders have called for fundamental changes in Medicaid financing that could limit federal financing for Medicaid through a block grant or a per capita cap.
Block grants and per capita caps significantly cut Medicaid, according to Close the Gap Idaho.
“They are funding mechanisms that dismantle the current structure and financing of Medicaid and reduce federal spending on the program by shifting costs to states,” Close the Gap Idaho’s website reports.
“The federal government won’t be supplementing those funds anymore — it will be the responsibility of the state, which is of great concern to me,” Gonzales said. “That would just mean more reduction in the services. We’ve been facing reduction over the years, and we’re at bare minimum now. To take away even more cuts is terrifying for families.”
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