Medicaid Cuts: Impact on All Americans, Say Michigan Nurses to Congress

Medicaid Cuts: A Ripple Effect on the American Healthcare System

As the debate over proposed Medicaid cuts intensifies, the potential impacts extend far beyond Medicaid recipients themselves. Experts argue that these cuts could significantly affect the entire healthcare system and, consequently, every American citizen.

Contrary to popular belief, the consequences of reducing Medicaid funding are poised to be felt across the board. The interconnectedness of the healthcare system means that limitations in one area can lead to widespread challenges.

Frontline healthcare workers, particularly nurses represented by AFSCME, have voiced their concerns about these potential changes. Nurses from Michigan, alongside a colleague from New York, traveled to Washington, D.C., to communicate the broader implications of Medicaid cuts to Congress.

Rachel Chapin, a nurse who once depended on Medicaid as a single mother, emphasized the broader impact. As a member of Local 875 (part of AFSCME Michigan 925), she warned that hospital visits would become more cumbersome. “If you come into the emergency room,” Chapin stated, “there's going to be more patients. Your wait times are going to be longer. It’s going to be less safe. And you're not going to have as many nurses to take care of more patients.”

Additionally, Local 875 President and AFSCME Vice President Kelly Indish highlighted the risk of hospital closures due to funding cuts. She noted, “We're going to see layoffs, we're going to see cuts to our ancillary staff, we're going to see cuts to non-bedside nursing, and we may also see hospitals close.”

Erica Place, another member of Local 875, underscored the expected rise in patient numbers as primary care resources dwindle. “If they cut Medicaid,” Place said, “we're going to see an increase in all sorts of patients because they're not going to have the resources they formerly did through their primary care.”

Place summarized the sentiment among nurses regarding the potential billions in cuts if the Senate approves the House-approved budget bill. “We're going to be overrun. We're already struggling here.”

The call to resist the Senate's budget bill is growing. To participate in the advocacy, individuals can text GO to 237263 for updates and learn how to Get Organized.