Early this morning the U.S. Home of Representatives voted to move laws that can strip well being care and meals help from thousands and thousands of older adults. The “One Huge Lovely Invoice Act,” which narrowly handed 215-214 with solely Republican votes, will minimize trillions of {dollars} from Medicaid, Medicare, the Inexpensive Care Act, and SNAP—all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest 10% of People. The invoice now strikes to the Senate.
“As we’ve mentioned earlier than, a vote for laws to intestine Medicaid, SNAP, and different applications is a vote to desert seniors. At this time, the Home made that unconscionable alternative. It isn’t true that this invoice protects older adults and folks with disabilities. If it turns into legislation, thousands and thousands of seniors and folks with disabilities could have the important care and assist they depend on daily taken away. This isn’t hypothesis—it’s a stark actuality we’ve got skilled after far much less extreme cuts,” mentioned Kevin Prindiville, Government Director of Justice in Growing old. “The Senate should step up and reject these dangerous insurance policies. Older adults deserve management that prioritizes and invests of their well being and well-being.”
The laws would make unprecedented cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and different applications that allow older adults and households throughout America to fulfill their primary wants, and push the prices onto individuals and states who merely can not afford it. Punching holes in states’ budgets will pressure them to scale back or eradicate optionally available Medicaid advantages that many older adults depend upon, together with residence and community-based providers (HCBS).
On the similar time, the laws would require each state to implement Medicaid work necessities for adults as much as age 65, which is able to rip protection away from 5 million individuals and damage everybody counting on Medicaid. The laws additionally immediately cuts Medicare, taking protection from immigrants who’ve labored and paid into the system for many years, whereas additionally reducing entry to Medicaid’s monetary help that makes Medicare inexpensive and accessible for thousands and thousands of low-income individuals. Justice in Growing old will present extra evaluation of the invoice in coming weeks.
Our collective advocacy made getting this vote by the Home extraordinarily troublesome. We’ll double down and do all the things we will to make the identical vote within the Senate unattainable.
