Little Lobbyists Statement on New CMS Guidance Threatening Medicaid

Little Lobbyists vehemently opposes the Trump Administration’s proposed overhaul of Medicaid funding. Despite the proposal’s misleading name, “Healthy Adult Opportunity” will jeopardize access to health care for millions. It will have devastating consequences for poor, elderly, and disabled Americans  – including children with complex medical needs and disabilities - and it will ultimately cost lives. 

According to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services website, nearly 65 million people were enrolled in Medicaid as of October 2019, including over 35 million children. The Administration’s proposed overhaul of Medicaid funding would allow for “block granting” -- limiting the funding a state receives to a set amount regardless of how much is actually needed by Medicaid recipients in the state. The Administration’s guidance also gives each state the ability to drastically limit the health care available to Medicaid recipients. States will be permitted to change or reduce coverage for services without federal oversight, limit prescription drug coverage, impose unaffordable premiums, and create additional barriers to eligibility. 

Hospitals, especially those in rural and urban areas which rely most heavily on Medicaid funds, are put at an increased risk of closure by this proposed funding overhaul. When hospitals close, children with complex medical needs (including those covered by private insurance) lose access to local ongoing and emergency care. Our schools are also at risk. Without adequate funding, all children could lose the school nursing staff, early intervention, and therapy programs Medicaid currently covers.

This Administration came to power promising better and less costly health care for everyone, and specifically promised no cuts to Medicaid.  It has broken those promises repeatedly in the last three years. This proposal is the latest broken promise. Medicaid saves lives. Block grants will cost lives. We call upon CMS to withdraw this guidance immediately and instead focus on strengthening Medicaid, not attacking it.  Our children’s lives depend on it. 

Little Lobbyists is a family-led group advocating for children with complex medical needs and disabilities to access the health care, education, and community inclusion they need to survive and thrive.