Washington D.C — As new Medicaid cuts stemming from the Republican Tax Law begin to take effect across the country, patient advocates are raising the alarm that these harsh new rules are jeopardizing working families’ and severely ill patients’ access to basic health care by forcing them to prove that they are sick.
These cuts to Medicaid are creating an impossible catch-22 for so-called “medically frail” patients who cannot afford a doctor’s visit without health insurance in the first place, effectively threatening health care coverage for millions of vulnerable people, including those with serious medical conditions, disabilities, or substance use disorders.
According to Jennifer Tolbert, Director of State Health Policy and Data at KFF, “Someone may not be able to work, but they can’t see a doctor because they can’t afford it. So they’re now applying for Medicaid. But Medicaid is saying you need documentation from a provider.” At least six states are rushing to mandate immediate doctor notes and stricter qualification standards that require patients to prove their condition “significantly impairs” daily capabilities sooner than required.
“The steep Medicaid cuts included in the Republican Tax Law put Americans with serious illnesses at risk of losing their health care coverage altogether, even as the law provides more tax breaks for large corporations,” said Unrig Our Economy Campaign Director Leor Tal. “Nearly every Republican in Congress voted for this law, which is now jeopardizing people’s access to health care and financial stability.”
To learn more about the campaign, visit UnrigOurEconomy.com or contact press@unrigoureconomy.com
###
About Unrig Our Economy
Unrig Our Economy is a national campaign to fix the rules of our economy to make it work for working people. We know that when the middle class does well, all of us do well — which is why we’re fighting on behalf of working Americans and holding corporations, their wealthy executives, and the politicians who enable them accountable.