Make America Healthy Again by Protecting Healthcare for ALL!

As a constituent, I urge you to oppose provisions of H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill passed by the House, that would lead to 16 million people losing their health coverage—7.8 million due to new Medicaid “work requirements” and 4.2 million because enhanced Affordable Care Act premiums expire. The fourth-largest source of support for K-12 public schools, Medicaid covers nearly half our students and 1 in 10 education support professionals. Reducing federal support would affect every virtually student. That’s because Medicaid reimbursements help pay for school-based services that benefit the entire student population—health care as well as educators’ salaries and the services of health professionals like nurses, psychologists, and audiologists. The impact would reverberate throughout the economy—especially in rural areas where public schools are economic centers and health care providers are in short supply. Consequences could include fewer health services for fewer people, hospital closures, higher taxes, larger class sizes, and reduced support for 7.5 million students with disabilities—15 percent of the student population. Slashing health coverage to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich is wrong. Don’t do it!