Leaders in Congress are proposing $2.3 trillion in cuts to the federal Medicaid program. If these massive cuts take place, the impact on Wisconsin residents would be devastating.
About one out of every five Wisconsinites receives health care coverage and/or long-term care services through one of the state’s 19 Medicaid funded programs. That includes:
- 1 in 3 Wisconsin children across both rural and metro areas
- 1 in 3 Wisconsinites with disabilities
- 4 in 7 Wisconsin nursing home residents
- 1 in 6 Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin
- 1 in 7 Wisconsin adults ages 19-64, more than half of whom are parents/caregivers
Among the state programs that are funded through Medicaid are BadgerCare, Family Care, SeniorCare, IRIS, and SSI-related health coverage. The impact of these cuts would be felt in every corner of the state among every segment of the population. You can learn more about the range of programs funded by Medicaid in Wisconsin on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/medicaid/index.htm.
In addition to the effect these cuts would have on the care people receive, the impact on the state’s health care workforce would also be devastating. An enormous number of health care industry jobs would be vaporized, dealing a crippling blow to the state’s economy.
If you or someone you know receives services through a Medicaid-funded program in Wisconsin, we strongly urge you to contact your representatives in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to let them know that this dismantling of our health care safety net is unacceptable. Tell them your story—how you or your loved one relies on Medicaid and the impact dramatic cuts would have on your lives. You can find contact information for your Congressional representatives by entering you address in the form at https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
