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[Pages H853-H854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROTECT MEDICAID
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) for 5 minutes.
Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand here today to support
H. Res. 826, the protect Medicaid resolution. I am proud to go on
record today to spotlight the administration's continuous attempts to
take away healthcare for Americans, especially those most vulnerable,
such as seniors and those with disabilities.
Mr. Speaker, Medicaid was created in recognition of the importance of
healthcare for all Americans. Even though many low-income people have
jobs, working every single day, the reality is that they don't have
access to employer or private health insurance, and Medicaid fills that
gap.
It is such a sad reality that we need to remind this administration
that the purpose of Medicaid is to provide healthcare for low-income
individuals and families. Medicaid recognizes the humanity of everyone,
despite their socioeconomic status.
When I was on the Budget Committee, I repeatedly voted against
pernicious efforts to change the Federal-
[[Page H854]]
State Medicaid partnership through the per capita caps, onerous work
requirements--I led a letter on that--State waivers to jettison core
medical protections, repeal of the Affordable Care Act. It was just
exhausting. And of course, the favorite tool in the toolkit was block
grants. Block grants.
If you don't know what block grants are, just think, chopping block.
And why has Congress repeatedly not enacted these harmful proposals?
Because block-granting Medicaid will only lead to gutting care for
millions, including seniors and people with disabilities.
Block-granting Medicaid means setting caps on total funding and
leaving the hard choices to governors and State legislators to decide
which populations to serve and which ones to drop.
Seniors and persons with disabilities, those account for a good
portion of Medicaid spending, and any attempts to cut costs, as a
result of cap funding, will hit these groups the hardest.
Perhaps we should cut services to more healthy children to meet the
needs of those in nursing homes. We literally pit the medical needy
against the medical needy.
Healthcare providers whose Medicaid payments would be curtailed and
cut so low that they may decide not to provide services, will make it
harder for even those who are eligible for Medicaid to find those
services.
And let me just remind you that Medicaid block grants are not
responsive to recessions. Per capita cuts, block grants, and work
requirements would undermine Medicaid's ability to help when the need
is greatest, such as during an economic recession, as it was designed
to do.
So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 826 to
reject efforts to reduce access to quality and affordable healthcare
for low-income patients, especially those with serious and chronic
health conditions.
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