John,

Congress agreed last year that states may resume checking the eligibility of Medicaid beneficiaries and may start terminating those deemed ineligible starting this April. It will be a daunting process for states to manage so many redeterminations of eligibility. HHS itself estimated that as many as 15 million children and adults could lose Medicaid, some because their incomes had risen, but others because they did not provide timely proof despite still being eligible. Some won’t respond because the state does not have their correct address.

States have until May 2024 to cut their Medicaid enrollment rolls. But some states, such as Florida, seem intent on dropping as many people as possible as soon as possible.

But for some right-wing members of Congress, kicking 15 million low-income people off of Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), isn’t enough. They want to cut these critical health care lifelines even further.

Proposals continue to be floated to tie cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and many other basic needs programs to an increase in the debt ceiling. This is recklessly irresponsible and that’s why we’re sending thousands of messages to Congress to stop threatening the health care of millions of low-income adults and children.

Access to health care is an inalienable right. We cannot allow politicians to cruelly deny health coverage to millions of people.

Will you rush a donation of $5 so we can fight back against arbitrary cuts to health programs that benefit millions of families and children?

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The United States is the richest country on the planet and yet, millions of low-income people and children are at risk of losing their health insurance. This is unconscionable and goes against everything we’ve been taught about what makes America so special.

Thank you for all you do,

Nicolai Haddal
Field and Events Manager, Coalition on Human Needs

-- DEBORAH'S EMAIL --

John,

A new report released by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families has reinforced what we already know: children will suffer thanks to Congress ending a pandemic relief provision that expanded Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility.

According to the report, 54% of children in the U.S. receive their health coverage via Medicaid and CHIP and in ten states and Washington D.C., more than 60% of children are covered under Medicaid and CHIP. Starting in April, 38 million children will begin having their eligibility checked as states begin reverting back to pre-pandemic eligibility standards. And, while an estimated 72% will remain eligible for Medicaid, millions will lose coverage not because they don’t qualify, but because their families are not aware that they must re-apply or cannot manage to supply required documents in time.¹

Even as states prepare to kick millions of children and adults off of Medicaid and CHIP, extremists in Congress are holding these vital health care programs hostage, demanding further cuts in exchange for lifting the U.S. debt ceiling.

We’re fighting back, sending thousands of messages to Congress, demanding they oppose any and all cuts to Medicaid and CHIP.

To deny millions of people this basic human right is against the American principles we claim to hold dear. Will you rush a donation of $5 so we can continue our fight in Congress against draconian cuts to vital health care programs?

Across the country, at least 15 million people are at risk of losing their health care coverage starting this April-- even though the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 6.8 million of them will still be eligible.² Even more will lose coverage if right-wing conservatives are successful in extracting even deeper cuts, including through onerous bureaucratic hurdles masquerading as work requirements.

Cutting millions of people from Medicaid and CHIP is a stunningly backwards step that will harm our children and leave adults with untreated health conditions that will make it harder for them to have stability at work. And, it will prevent us from making long-overdue progress in providing home and community-based services for people with disabilities and older adults.

Donate $5 today to fund the fight to protect Medicaid and CHIP!

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately:

Thank you for all you do to fight for health care as a human right,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ CCF, Pediatricians Urge State Leaders to Shield Children from Losing Medicaid Coverage
² Millions of children are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage starting in April