Last night, the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution mandating trillions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other programs that help older adults meet their basic needs, all to pay for tax cuts for wealthy Americans and corporations.
The final vote was 217-215, largely along party lines, with one Republican voting against the resolution. The vote places Medicaid directly in the crosshairs for unprecedented cuts of at least $880 billion.
“With this vote, lawmakers endorsed taking away Medicaid from millions of Americans, including older adults, all to bankroll tax cuts for the wealthy,” said Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director of Justice in Aging. “Thanks to our collective advocacy, the vote to pass this dangerous budget blueprint did not come easily. And we will make sure lawmakers know that voting to enact these cuts would be voting to abandon older Americans.”
“The fight to protect Medicaid coverage is far from over,” explained Prindiville. “The House and Senate must reconcile their vastly different budget resolutions and develop legislation to implement these cuts. Justice in Aging will be there at every step, fighting to protect Medicaid for the millions of older adults who depend on the program for their health and long-term care. By continuing to work together and uplifting the voices of those who have the most at stake, we can stop cuts to this popular program and ensure Medicaid remains strong for older adults and everyone in America.”
