In Pennsylvania and nationwide, federal safety net programs may face major cutbacks as President Donald Trump’s administration pushes for budget reductions.
The House GOP plan proposes cutting Medicaid funding by $2.5 trillion. Currently, 3 million Pennsylvanians are insured through Medicaid.
Becky Ludwick, vice president of public policy for Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said her group and more than 160 others, including the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation urging members to reject proposed Medicaid cuts.
She argued the move would harm vulnerable residents, especially children who depend on the program for health insurance.
“Medicaid plays an especially large role for children, and covers 1.2 million Pennsylvania children currently,” Ludwick outlined. “That includes children with special health care needs, children with disabilities, children who are living in families with lower incomes, children who are in the foster care system or aging out of the foster care system.”