After I consider Medicaid, I consider my grandmother. She died penniless, however she was fortunate—as a result of she had Wholesome Louisiana, our state’s model of Medicaid. That care, restricted because it was, gave her dignity in her remaining years.
She was the glue of our household: a spouse to 2 WWII veterans, a caregiver, and even a small-business proprietor together with her stitching store.
In the long run, she wanted long-term nursing care. Even with Wholesome Louisiana, the system was stretched skinny. She shared a room with a number of different sufferers. It was a reminder: we’re barely offering sufficient care now. And now they wish to minimize much more.
The brand new Republican price range simply slashed Medicaid by $1 trillion. In Louisiana, greater than 200,000 individuals may lose protection underneath Wholesome Louisiana. Many don’t even notice that Medicaid is the protection they depend on: for themselves, their youngsters, their growing older mother and father, or their disabled family members.
The overwhelming majority of individuals enrolled in Wholesome Louisiana are working households, small enterprise homeowners, seniors, or individuals in want. They’re not freeloaders. And their protection iss not a examine within the mail. As a substitute, it reimburses hospitals and clinics for care already supplied.
But leaders like Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise, Julia Letlow, Invoice Cassidy, and John Kennedy are spreading myths about widespread fraud and “able-bodied individuals abusing the system.” The reality? Wholesome individuals don’t value Medicaid something. Sick individuals do. Chopping this implies fewer surgical procedures, prescriptions, and nursing beds—whereas billionaires and huge firms get everlasting tax cuts.
Rural Louisiana will endure most. Throughout our state, 33 rural hospitals are actually prone to closing. These hospitals function on razor-thin margins and sometimes serve communities the place public protection is the one choice. If these hospitals shut, everybody—together with these with non-public insurance coverage—will face larger prices, longer drives, and overcrowded emergency rooms.
And when individuals can’t entry common care, they wait till their situation worsens, then present up on the emergency room. By legislation, hospitals should deal with them. However within the ER, which should keep open round the clock, care prices ten instances extra, driving everybody’s premiums up.
That is unhealthy for public well being. It’s unhealthy for our financial system. And it’s simply plain flawed.
Wholesome Louisiana is a direct funding in our individuals. It helps jobs, clinics, hospitals, and higher well being outcomes throughout the state. And the reality is, we needs to be increasing it. Each different developed nation ensures healthcare, typically with higher outcomes, longer lives, and decrease prices—as a result of they take the revenue motive out of the system.
So why is that this occurring?
As a result of this isn’t nearly one program. It’s about dismantling each public service we depend on—Wholesome Louisiana, Medicare, Social Safety—in order that firms can personal it, management it, and revenue from it. The GOP needs to denationalise all of it.
We’ve labored our complete lives within the richest nation in historical past. All we’re asking for is dignity in well being.
Say it with me: No extra. We wish change.
Dustin Granger is a former candidate for Louisiana state treasurer.
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