Medicaid is an essential safety net for more than 70 million Americans, including children, seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. Key stakeholders are deeply concerned with the potential cuts to the Medicaid program that will put health coverage for patients at risk and destabilize provider funding and state economies.
Modern Medicaid Alliance partners and allies are advocating on behalf of their patients to ensure Medicaid remains strong and stable for those who need it most. Highlights of their research and the impact of Medicaid cuts are included below:
Medicaid is Lifeline for Children and Families
A new survey by Healthy Schools Campaign highlights just how deeply school systems rely on Medicaid. More than 90% of school district leaders, administrators and staff from all 50 states report that if Congress reduces federal Medicaid funding, they expect cuts not only to school-based health services, but across their entire school district budgets.
ZERO TO THREE’s new fact sheet reinforces how Medicaid covers essential care for the youngest Americans. The resource details that Medicaid provides vital health services — from screenings and dental care to vaccinations and well-child visits — for 44% of babies and toddlers nationwide. That number climbs even higher in rural areas and among children with special health care needs, underscoring how Medicaid connects families to critical early care regardless of zip code.
The Georgetown Center for Children and Families’ recent blog post also explores how expanding Medicaid for low-income parents leads to better health outcomes for their children, including reduced infant mortality and improved economic security.
Medicaid Supports Americans with Complex Health Needs
A fact sheet from The Arc makes clear what’s at stake in the debate over Medicaid funding for people with complex health needs. Proposed Medicaid cuts would mean fewer early interventions for children with developmental delays, fewer in-home supports for adults with disabilities and fewer options for people with complex medical conditions who rely on Medicaid for long-term care.
Caring Across Generations echoes this warning, spotlighting how Medicaid supports aging and disability care in ways no other insurance program does. Although disabled people and older adults represent just 20% of enrollees, they account for over half of all Medicaid spending because Medicaid is the only source of comprehensive long-term services, especially home- and community-based care that helps people stay healthy and live safely in their communities.
A new policy brief from the National Alliance for Caregiving emphasizes the impact of Medicaid on essential caregivers, explaining how Medicaid offers direct support through respite care, payments and caregiver training. These services are the backbone that allow 4.5 million Americans to receive care at home rather than in nursing homes.
Finally, state fact sheets from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) drive home the central role Medicaid plays in treating mental health and substance use disorders. As the largest funder of these services in the country, Medicaid ensures access to care for the nearly 40% of non-elderly enrollees managing behavioral health needs.
Medicaid Provides Essential Care to Seniors and Military Families
A new issue brief from Justice in Aging, the Medicare Rights Center, the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Community Catalyst highlights how Medicaid complements Medicare by filling critical coverage gaps for the 12 million people who rely on both programs. Without it, many older adults could lose access to home-based care.
And it’s not just seniors at risk. A new report from the Children’s Hospital Association spotlights the nearly 3 million children in military and veteran families who count on Medicaid for continuity of care. As these families navigate challenges like deployment and frequent moves, Medicaid offers a stable source of support, ensuring children receive the high-quality care they need, wherever they are.
Medicaid is a Cornerstone of Community Care
Resources from the Federation of American Hospitals and Providence health system show Medicaid’s impact throughout communities and across every stage of life. It supports pregnant women and newborns, helps reduce poverty and provides coverage for more than 15 million low-income workers in jobs that don’t offer health coverage.
The American Hospital Association emphasizes how Medicaid helps keep hospitals open and accessible in a new infographic and fact sheet. The resources make clear that cuts to Medicaid would result in billions in lost funding for hospitals over the next decade, jeopardizing access to care for patients of all ages and straining already stretched local health systems.
And in rural America, that bridge is especially critical. According to a new fact sheet from the National Rural Health Association, Medicaid covers nearly one in five adults in rural areas. With so many rural hospitals already struggling financially, further Medicaid cuts could tip the balance and force service reductions or hospital closures that leave entire regions without accessible health care.
To find more in-depth, district-level Medicaid enrollment and funding data, visit data.modernmedicaid.org.