Chairwoman Murphy, healthcare stakeholders, call on NJ Congressional delegation to vote “NO” on massive healthcare cuts
Trenton—May 6—Chair for the New Jersey Assembly Health Committee Assemblywoman Carol Murphy joined a coalition of leaders and advocates for nursing homes, children, people with disabilities, and a Medicaid recipient today to call on New Jersey’s Congressional delegation to vote "NO" to any markup that would impose draconian cuts on federally funded programs such as NJ Family Care/Medicaid.
The markup, which will likely be voted on before Memorial Day, is anticipated to cut some $880 billion from federal health care funding. Chairwoman Murphy and speakers addressed the media shortly before a special Assembly Health Committee hearing in which health care stakeholders spoke on the impact of these potential cuts to New Jersey residents, the state's economy, and the state budget.
Nearly two million New Jerseyans depend on NJ Family Care/ Medicaid for health care services, including 1 of 3 of our state’s children and 4 in 7 nursing home residents. Medicaid is the largest payer for mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, and other community services to curb the opioid epidemic and care for people with mental illness; it is also the largest source of federal funding for New Jersey.
“Cuts to Medicaid affect the most vulnerable in New Jersey, our seniors, disabled residents, and low-income families and children,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy. “These cuts will greatly reduce the access to care throughout our state, while endangering other programs through the impossible choice between healthcare funding and other essential government services we provide state-wide. This hearing is essential to shine a light on the impacts of these cuts on how it will impact every facet of our health system.”
“Gutting Medicaid would only increase burdens on the many New Jerseyans already struggling with costs such as housing and groceries,” said Laura Waddell, Health Care Program Director, NJ Citizen Action. “We cannot afford these cuts, and our New Jersey Representatives should stand against any markups that enable these cuts. We applaud the Assembly Health Committee for bringing badly needed attention to how massive federal healthcare cuts will upend our entire healthcare system.”
“Balancing the ten-year budget cycle on the back of the Medicaid program is not a good tradeoff for the residents of New Jersey,” said Jim McCracken, President & CEO, LeadingAge New Jersey & Delaware. “Vulnerable older adults and their families rely on Medicaid for crucial care and supports in a range of communities from nursing homes and assisted living residences to other home-and community-based settings, like home health, adult day, Programs for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and Assisted Living Programs (ALPs). The real-world effect of what is being discussed in Washington, D.C. – whether it is a change to the structure of health care taxes or a change in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) formula for any segment of the Medicaid population – is large holes to be filled in the New Jersey state budget. The end result is that the health and well-being of elders in our State will be severely harmed. LeadingAge New Jersey & Delaware urges Congress to reject Medicaid cuts and protect older adults.”
"I am the single mother of two beautiful 12-year-old boys who are profoundly autistic," said Ridge resident and Medicaid recipient Theresa Luoni. "Every day, I fight—not just for their dignity, but for their basic right to exist safely and healthily in this world. Medicaid is not just a program to us; it is our lifeline. It provides the therapies that help my sons eventually speak a word, hold my hand, or look into my eyes. It covers the specialists who understand their needs and support their growth. Without Medicaid, these services would be completely out of reach—and without these services, my boys cannot grow into the independent, productive citizens they are capable of becoming."
“Any cuts to Medicaid will have serious, far-reaching consequences on the health and well-being of the more than 859,000 New Jersey children who depend on NJ FamilyCare for essential healthcare services including well-child visits, immunizations, and dental care,” said Mary Coogan, President & CEO of Advocates for Children of New Jersey. “Children who receive the preventive care they need, are able to focus in school, and are more likely to avoid future medical problems that require costly treatment.”
“On behalf of the 300,000 people with disabilities and older adults in New Jersey who rely on Medicaid both to access healthcare and home and community-based services, like help getting dressed and cooking, we urge Congress to vote “No” to any Medicaid cuts,” said Disability Rights New Jersey Executive Director, Gwen Orlowski. “All proposed ‘reforms’ currently on the table will result in fewer Medicaid services. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Medicaid is a lifeline – without it, they cannot access crucial services through the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Disability Rights NJ’s ask is simple and clear: No Cuts to Medicaid.”
"No matter how it's packaged, a $2 billion reduction in federal Medicaid spending for New Jersey is a $2 billion Medicaid cut,” said Peter Chen Senior Policy Analyst for New Jersey Policy Perspective. “And any Medicaid cut will be devastating for New Jersey's budget and the families and people who depend on it. With the state's budget facing a structural deficit and economic headwinds, New Jersey can ill afford any reduction in Medicaid funding."
"For hospitalized patients, having Medicaid can mean the difference between a streamlined discharge back to their families and jobs with access to necessary medications and follow-up, and a rocky discharge with barriers to access and high risk for re-admissions or worse," said Dan Goldsmith, MD FACP, Governor, NJ Southern Chapter, American College of Physicians and Associate Director Internal Medicine Residency Program at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. "A large number of common conditions we treat require expensive medications that have few or no generic alternatives. Often the generic alternates are also prohibitively expensive without prescription coverage. Medicaid gives us and our patients good options. Cutting Medicaid is not one of them."
“Medicaid currently fails to cover the actual cost of nursing home care, paying an average of 82 cents for every dollar of care,” said President and CEO, HealthCare Association of New Jersey, Andy Aronson. “This underfunding makes it difficult for nursing homes to invest in their workforce, care services, and modernization efforts. Any cuts to Medicaid would likely force nursing homes to reduce staff, curtail admissions, and close altogether. At a time when the aging population is growing rapidly and demand for nursing home services is rising, the impacts of Medicaid cuts would leave our most vulnerable seniors without access to needed care. The Health Care Association of New Jersey urges Congress to safeguard care for our seniors and to vote against cutting Medicaid.”