Proposed Medicaid Cuts Could Leave Florida’s Most Vulnerable Without Care

Recortes A Medicaid Podrían Dejar A Los Más Vulnerables De FL Sin Atención

By: Trimmel Gomes

Florida residents who depend on Medicaid said they fear for their futures as lawmakers consider $2.3 trillion in federal cuts, which could force states to reduce services, cut eligibility or lower provider payments.

The proposal, first reported by Politico, has drawn opposition from health advocates who said the reductions would hit hardest among children, seniors and people with disabilities.

During a news conference organized by the Florida Policy Institute, Virginia, a Medicaid recipient in Alachua County, shared how the program has given her independence despite living with a disability.

"If Congress was to cut Medicaid or government was to cut Medicaid. I don't know how I would live," she said. "I have no family to go to. Both my parents are in low-income housing. My father is pretty much disabled. He cannot help me at all. My mother is not in the picture."

The potential cuts include $9.8 billion in per capita reductions to cap how much funding Florida could receive. Proponents have suggested reducing federal Medicaid funding would compel states to make more prudent decisions regarding their health care budgets.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, warned these cuts would leave states with difficult choices.

"Cuts of this magnitude would force states to make very painful choices about cutting services, cutting benefits, reducing payments to providers, cutting eligibility," she said.

For the Rev. Latifah Griffin, whose 10-year-old son has cerebral palsy, Medicaid makes it possible for him to access specialized care, mobility devices and a pediatric extended care facility.

"I would literally struggle to take care of him," Griffin said. "I would likely need to quit my job because I would need to stay home due to being able, unable to afford the services for him without Medicaid. Then, I too will become a burden on an already broken system."

Medicaid serves 2.4 million Floridians, covering two of every five children in the state. A nationwide outage in government payment processing systems temporarily froze Medicaid funding to states, causing widespread confusion. The crisis followed President Donald Trump's recent executive orders, which briefly paused federal spending on various programs, excluding Medicare and Social Security.

Content for this Post is provided by Florida News Connection, a Bureau of Public News Service.  Public News Service is a member of the The Trust Project.

Recortes a Medicaid podrían dejar a los más vulnerables de FL sin atención

By: Trimmel Gomes

Los residentes de Florida que dependen de Medicaid dicen que temen por su futuro mientras los legisladores consideran recortes federales de $2.3 billones que podrian obligar a los estados a reducir los servicios, recortar la elegibilidad o reducir los pagos a los proveedores. La propuesta, reportada por primera vez por Politico, ha generado la oposicion de los defensores de la salud que dicen que las reducciones afectarian mas a los ninos, las personas mayores y las personas con discapacidades. Durante una conferencia de prensa organizada por el Florida Policy Institute, Virginia, beneficiaria de Medicaid en el condado de Alachua, compartio como el programa le ha dado independencia a pesar de vivir con una discapacidad.

"Si el Congreso recortara Medicaid o el gobierno recortara Medicaid, no se como viviria. No tengo familia a quien acudir. Mis dos padres viven en viviendas para personas de bajos ingresos. Mi padre esta practicamente discapacitado. No puede ayudarme en absoluto. Con mi madre no puedo contar," explico ademas Virginia.

Los posibles recortes incluyen reducciones de $9.800 millones per capita que limitarian la cantidad de fondos que Florida podria recibir. Los defensores sugieren que reducir la financiacion federal de Medicaid obligaria a los estados a tomar decisiones mas prudentes con respecto a sus presupuestos de atencion sanitaria.

Joan Alker, directora ejecutiva del Center for Children and Families de la Universidad de Georgetown, advirtio que estos recortes dejarian a los estados con opciones dificiles.

"Recortes de esta magnitud obligarian a los estados a tomar decisiones muy dolorosas sobre recortes de servicios, de beneficios, reduccion de pagos a proveedores y de elegibilidad," argumento Alker.

Para la reverenda Latifah Griffin, cuyo hijo de 10 anos tiene paralisis cerebral, Medicaid le permite acceder a atencion especializada, dispositivos de movilidad y un centro de atencion pediatrica extendida.

"Literalmente lucharia por cuidarlo. Probablemente tendria que dejar mi trabajo y tendria que quedarme en casa porque no puedo pagar los servicios para el sin Medicaid. Entonces, yo tambien me convertiria en una carga para un sistema que ya esta roto," insistio Griffin.

Medicaid presta servicios a cuatro punto dos millones de floridanos y cubre a dos de cada cinco ninos en el estado. Una interrupcion a nivel nacional en los sistemas de procesamiento de pagos del gobierno congelo temporalmente la financiacion de Medicaid a los estados, lo que provoco una confusion generalizada. La crisis fue ocasionada por las recientes ordenes ejecutivas del presidente Donald Trump que detuvieron el gasto federal en varios programas, excluyendo Medicare y el Seguro Social.

El contenido de esta publicación es proporcionado por Florida News Connection, una Oficina de Servicio Público de Noticias.  Public News Service es miembro de The Trust Project.