No CR unless it restores Medicaid funding.

The state of health care in Virginia, especially in rural areas, is uncertain after this summer’s changes in federal funding. The Rural Health Transformation Program does earmark $50 billion for rural health care, but it is divided in such a way that there will still likely be spending gaps left by incoming Medicaid cuts. The legislation may result in $58 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years, which will impact rural hospitals. Virginia could receive up to $500 million of the funding over the next five federal fiscal years to support access to health care in rural communities, according to an executive directive from the governor’s office. However, approximately 350,000 Virginians may lose health care coverage, primarily from Medicaid, according to Ashley Apple, commissioner of government relations for the Virginia Nurses Association. The ripple effect would be that health care facilities could close if they lose the many rural patients who depend on Medicaid for treatment. Augusta Medical Group has already closed an urgent care clinic and two primary care clinics in response to the federal legislation, according to a press release. Youngkin’s executive directive includes beneficial plans to improve rural health care, but the confines of the federal bill will still cause issues with adequate funding, according to Apple: “I commend the governor on looking at really important issues related to rural health, but ultimately the size of the bucket itself is not big enough,” Apple said. It will take a bipartisan effort to balance these fiscal constraints. You can help by not voting for a CR in the house unless it restores Medicaid funding. Your rural constituents (your literal neighbors!) need this.