|
|
Here’s a figure for you: 40%.
That’s the percentage of Californians who rely on Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal Medicaid program.
That is more than 15 million people. Medi-Cal covers three out of seven children, two out of nine non-elderly adults, and two out of five people with disabilities, according to the California Health Care Foundation. Many people on Medi-Cal are working Californians whose employers don’t offer health insurance and their pay is so low they still qualify.
Medi-Cal is funded by both state and federal dollars, but soon, those federal dollars – which make up nearly two-thirds of the total funding, according to LAist – could be dramatically cut, jeopardizing health care access for millions of Californians. That’s because the Republican-controlled Congress has voted to slash $880 billion from the federal budget, with Medicaid being the prime target of those cuts.
All to help pay for trillions in tax cuts, primarily for millionaires and billionaires.
Congress may finalize the Medicaid cuts in the next few weeks or months. If they are allowed to go through, the results will be devastating for millions of Californians.
Not only would it mean people potentially losing access to their health insurance, but it also could lead to the closure of rural hospitals and countless medical professionals losing their jobs.
This is why it is so important to contact your member of Congress and let them know to keep their hands OFF of Medicaid. |
|
|
In Solidarity, Lorena Gonzalez |
|
