Scores of people braved the sweltering heat in Washington, D.C., on July 26 – the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act — advocating that Medicaid, the federal government program providing health care to the poor, should be preserved and funded to levels where it can benefit the people most who need it, including those who are disabled.
Jennifer Wells, director of Economic Justice with Community Change, served as one of the speakers at the Families First National Day of Action rally on the National Mall, part of a 60-hour vigil protesting cuts in Medicaid and food assistance.
“I was a Medicaid and SNAP kid,” said Wells, 51, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama. “That is why I am advocating for this because it was a lived reality for me. My mom had to be treated [for] a brain aneurysm, and she made it through, and Medicaid helped us pay for her treatment. If it wasn’t for Medicaid, she would not have gotten the level of care she needed to survive. I am here in Washington to tell the Republicans that we need Medicaid. If some people do not have Medicaid, they are going to die.”
Wells is vehemently speaking out against the recent federal budget passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump, which slashes Medicaid, SNAP and other vital programs that millions of people depend on.
Noting more than three decades of the Americans with Disabilities Act, other speakers emphasized that some of the legislation’s funding aspects— such as helping people with disabilities to live mainstream lives— are in jeopardy because of the Republicans in Congress with Trump’s support.
Al-jen Poo, executive director of Caring Across Generations, an anchoring partner with Families First, and president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, served as the rally’s emcee. She emphasized the purpose of the gathering on the National Mall and the 60-hour vigil.
“We are hearing from families across the country who are reeling, scared, and angry about the suffering this law will unleash on our loved ones,” said Poo, 51. “At a time when too many families are already struggling to afford what they need, these cuts will take families’ health care coverage, food and essential care, and some families have already had loved ones disappeared by ICE.”
Poo emphasized there is a sense of urgency on Medicaid funding.
“Our families come first,” she said, “and we’ll continue showing up for one another.”
The Medicaid Cuts and Their Impact
Medicaid came into reality on July 30, 1965 as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” initiative to provide health coverage to low-income individuals. Medicaid was born with its twin, Medicare, which primarily provides health care to the elderly.
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program and assists the states in providing medical assistance to eligible people who cannot afford private health care. Johnson said the time had come for America to help its citizens obtain quality healthcare.
“This great nation cannot afford to allow its citizens to suffer needlessly from the lack of proper medical care,” the president said 60 years ago. “Our ultimate aim must be a comprehensive insurance system to protect all our people equally against insecurity and ill health.”
However, the Republican Congress, with the support of the Trump administration, cuts Medicaid by about $1 trillion in 10 years and will put 11.8 million Americans at risk of losing their health insurance through the program, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. Studies show that millions of people with disabilities rely on Medicaid for health care and essential services, but the federal cuts will make it harder for them to access care.
The Medicaid cuts mean fewer available care services, longer waiting lists for critical support and the potential loss of assistance that allows disabled individuals to live independently.
“My nephew, who has autism, uses Medicaid to receive services at school,” said Emily Rodenbeck, a resident of Temperance, Michigan. “The cuts to Medicaid could potentially significantly impact those services that he relies on every day.”
Rodenbeck said the costs of health care without Medicaid could be phenomenal.
“If there are added co-pays and expenses, my sister’s a single mom and she’s not going to be able to afford those services,” she said. “Then there’s going to be a choice between paying rent or paying for medical care. It’s one of those things that I can’t sit back and let happen.”
Her family’s possible dilemma was a major reason for attending the rally, emphasizing “if I have the ability to come in and speak up for her, I’m going to do that.”
“People with disabilities deserve to live a life of dignity and respect,” she told The Informer. “Medicaid and the resources that Medicaid provides helps those things become accessible.”
The Rallying Cry for Medicaid Preservation
The 60-hour vigil started at 9 p.m. on July 23 with speakers talking about the impact the Medicaid cuts would have on their family, friends and community. The speeches were usually less than five minutes and generally were passionate and direct.
Lisa Myers attended the vigil on July 24 and sat in on a few speeches in one of the white chairs in front of the stage on the National Mall. Myers, a resident of Falls Church, Virginia, would nod each time a speaker made a point she agreed with and would clap after they finished.
“What the Republicans are doing makes no sense at all,” Myers, 42, said after listening to speeches for about an hour. “Medicaid is a good program. It helps people who otherwise would not be able to be insured. We can’t just sit around and let these cuts go through.”
Jen Sloven of Silver Spring, Maryland, also attended the rally to weigh in
“I’m here because I think this is absolutely nuts,” Sloven, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland said. “We are hurting the people that we value, we are hurting families, we are hurting children — this is unacceptable.”
Another Marylander attending the rally, who identified herself as “Kay,” said the Medicaid cuts had her feeling despondent.
“I’m sad that our country has taken this turn to put millionaires over families,” she said. “It seems like we’re taking a step backwards. I’ve been fortunate and my family has been fortunate, but you never know when you might need all of this. It’s just wrong that they would make these kinds of cuts. I’m on Social Security so I’m a little concerned about my future too.”
Theron Fowler, director of the Baltimore Urban Inspirational Collective, a choir that took to the stage twice during the rally, noted that Baltimore has a significant portion of its population relying on Medicaid.
Approximately 29.7% of Baltimore residents are enrolled in Medicaid, according to a July 3 Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee post on Facebook.
Fowler, who directed the choir in crowd-engaging songs such as “Keep Your Head to the Sky,” “Wake Up Everybody” and “Lean on Me,” said he hopes for the best despite the devastating cuts.
“I hope to share the message of keeping your head up through adversity,” he told The Informer. “We are in trying times.”
