1. United States
2. Okla.
3. Letter

Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans, providing critical healthcare services and support to over 10 million people with disabilities and 8 million seniors. Gutting Medicaid funding by $880 billion as proposed would be catastrophic, stripping away essential care and jeopardizing the ability of people with disabilities to live independently in their communities. Radical cuts would deprive children of vital school-based services, limit access to mental health and substance abuse treatment, destabilize the caregiving workforce, and force vulnerable seniors out of nursing homes. Medicaid's role is indispensable in upholding the rights and dignity of disabled individuals and ensuring equal access to economic and civic participation. Fiscal austerity cannot come at the expense of America's most vulnerable. Instead of slashing Medicaid, Congress should act to strengthen and expand this vital program as a step towards universal healthcare coverage for all. The human costs of these proposed cuts are simply too high - preserving and bolstering Medicaid must be an urgent priority.