With Congress on the verge of deciding on a federal budget bill that currently allows for close to $1 trillion in cuts to federal Medicaid spending, Northeast Ohio leaders are bracing for local impacts.
The proposed cuts to Medicaid would 鈥渄evastate鈥� MetroHealth and clinics that help low-income residents, said union members and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne at a news conference at Cleveland's Willard Park on Tuesday.
Ronayne said if Congress and President Donald Trump cut Medicaid funding to states at the rate currently proposed, Ohio鈥檚 trigger law could see about 100,000 county residents lose their Medicaid health insurance.
鈥淲e just don't understand why the state of Ohio legislative leaders don't understand that they're cutting the legs out of health care, Ronayne said. These have been the fundamental building blocks of communities for centuries.鈥�
He said he's appealed to the regional chamber of commerce to ask them to push the state to repeal the new law issuing work requirements for Medicaid recipients, but added the chamber has been silent on the issue.
Medicaid cuts are anticipated to hit federal qualified health centers, like Neighborhood Family Practice, which serves low-income Clevelanders, Ronayne said.
The county is currently exploring ways to support those clinics, and MetroHealth鈥檚 medical centers, which serve a majority of Medicaid recipients, he said.
Cleveland health care workers are also speaking out about the potential impact of proposed federal Medicaid cuts on their patients.
Pam McKenna, MetroHealth labor and delivery unit secretary who was at there as a member of AFSCME Ohio Council 8, said cuts to Medicaid would jeopardize health care for many pregnant women who wouldn't be able to afford to get checked out by a doctor.
If they have any questions or concerns, if they're experiencing any discomfort, such as lower abdominal cramping, things like that, these issues should be addressed, she said. That (level of care) equals a healthy pregnancy.
McKenna said Ohio already has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, and she worries the loss of insurance coverage for some pregnant women could worsen their care.
