Fears of Medicaid cuts persist as US House passes budget resolution
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A newly-passed House budget resolution could usher in a series of sweeping changes to programs. Some fear Medicaid could be among them, though there is little evidence of that.
"We're not at all surprised, just heartbroken at the idea of what might happen if Medicaid is cut," said Beth Messersmith, Senior Director with MomsRising, a left-leaning advocacy group.
In December 2023, North Carolina started Medicaid expansion, the result of a bipartisan effort. In its first year, nearly 600,000 North Carolinians signed up, a figure which roughly doubled expectations.
"People want health care to be able to participate in the economy, to be able to be active parents," said Messersmith, who added she was not surprised by the sign-up totals.
Do a word search for 'Medicaid' in the resolution we passed (Tuesday) night. You will not find it. That's not part of this equation.- House Speaker Mike Johnson
Across a series of posts on X on Tuesday night, former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat who championed Medicaid expansion, criticized the vote. All but one Republican supported the resolution, which was opposed by all Democrats.
During an interview with CNN Wednesday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson noted that Medicaid is not specifically mentioned in the resolution.
"Do a word search for 'Medicaid' in the resolution we passed (Tuesday) night. You will not find it. That's not part of this equation, OK. We're talking about finding efficiencies in every program, but not cutting benefits (for those) who rightly deserve that," said Johnson.
But the chatter from Democrat circles continues to spark concerns. Before the vote, Mary Beth Cochran, who lives in western North Carolina, joined Democratic lawmakers and advocates at a news conference, expressing concerns about possible cuts.
"I'm not asking for a handout. I'm just asking for that hand up," said Cochran.
I believe if I didn't have the Medicaid, we wouldn't be able to keep a roof over our head- Mary Beth Cochran, western NC resident
Along with her daughter, she's jointly raising her four grandchildren, ages 16, 15, 12, and 10 years old.
"All four of my grandchildren are on Medicaid. My oldest granddaughter has braces. The two youngest girls, we just found out last week that they're going to need braces. And as everybody knows, they're expensive. They run anywhere from $3,000 to $13,000 for each person. I am already on a fixed income," Cochran said.
She said that her 10-year-old grandson has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Level 2 autism, explaining that the healthcare coverage has allowed him to access extra services at school.
"We won't be able to survive. I mean, we're struggling enough right now trying to keep a roof over our head. But I believe if I didn't have the Medicaid, we wouldn't be able to keep a roof over our head because their health needs are very, very important. They need these different services," Cochran said.
"Here in North Carolina, we know that it's 41% of our state's children need Medicaid," added Messersmith.
Further, Messersmith discussed the effects of healthcare coverage on the economy.
"When our kids are sick, we can't go to work. When we're sick, we can't go to work. It's important for businesses. It's important for our state's economic infrastructure. It's important for our health care infrastructure, especially in rural communities," Messersmith said.
The resolution includes trillions of dollars in spending and tax cuts, part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reduce governmental costs. Budget negotiations will be fluid, and any specific effects to programs are not yet determined.
Johnson echoed sentiments shared by other Republicans, regarding adding work requirements for recipients.
"You don't want able-bodied workers on a program that is intended for example for single mothers with two small children whose just trying to make it. That's what Medicaid is for, not for 29-year-old males sitting on their couches playing video games. We're going to find those guys, and we're going to send them back to work," said Johnson.
A report last week from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 64% of Medicaid recipients are working (44% full-time, 20% part-time). Further, 12% are not working because of caregiving, 10% are not working because of illness or disability, and 7% are not working because of school attendance. The remaining 8% are not working because of retirement, inability to find work, or other reason (all percentages are rounded to a full number).
