1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing to ask you as a constituent to vote against any budget resolution that includes cuts to federal Medicaid funding. I am deeply concerned about the devastating impact such cuts would have on the tens of thousands who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance. Reducing Medicaid funding would severely strain our community’s health care providers and our local health care system. Medicaid is a critical source of health coverage for families and individuals in every state. It ensures that individuals in rural communities, prenatal women, veterans, children, older adults, and people with disabilities all receive high-quality physical and behavioral health services. In fact, Medicaid is the largest source of federal funding for behavioral health care in the United States. For example, approximately 1 in 10 veterans rely on Medicaid for coverage, and the program supports 1 in 6 low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, Medicaid is the primary payer for care for more than 6 in 10 nursing facility residents. It is also the largest federal funding source for school-based health services, including for behavioral health care, and the 3rd largest source of federal funds to schools overall. Any substantial reduction in federal Medicaid funding would force states into impossible decisions, leading to steep cuts in services or limiting eligibility to comply with budget constraints. These actions would disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and undermine access to essential care, and inevitably decrease access to behavioral health services for Medicaid beneficiaries, who are more likely to suffer from mental health conditions than individuals with private insurance. Cuts to the program would result in individuals delaying or forgoing preventative mental health treatment, increasing the likelihood of crises that require emergency room care or involvement with the criminal justice system — both of which are far more costly. As a result, cuts to Medicaid would in fact increase government spending, in addition to causing deep harm to those most dependent on the health coverage it provides, including many in our district. I urge you to oppose any budget resolution that includes harmful Medicaid cuts.