John,

Right now, Republicans in Congress are working to gut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood healthcare centers, threatening the health and lives of millions.

We have a short window of opportunity to make our voices heard—here’s what you need to know:

What is Medicaid?

• Medicaid is a long-standing, bipartisan program created in 1965 that provides essential health coverage to low-income children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities—serving as a critical pillar of the American health care system for nearly 60 years.

• In Congress: House and Senate Republicans are considering budget proposals with steep cuts to Medicaid, which could eliminate healthcare for up to 15.9 million people nationwide.
• At the Supreme Court: SCOTUS is hearing a case that could take away the right of patients to challenge state-level Medicaid “defund” efforts, reducing or eliminating their access to affordable healthcare.
• From the White House: Trump’s Title X funding cuts, an effort to defund Planned Parenthood, will disproportionately impact patients reliant on Medicaid.

• Medicaid is a lifeline for nearly 72 million people, including 24 million women of reproductive age.
• Medicaid is the largest payer of pregnancy-related services in the U.S., covering over 40% of births in this country.
• More than half of Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid to access healthcare—which means that attacks on Medicaid disproportionately impact this critical provider.