Etheridge Fights Against Medicaid Cuts

Budget Cuts Would Hurt North Carolina Families, Health Care

WASHINGTON - With the U.S. House of Representatives poised to vote on a budget resolution, U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) is fighting to stave off cuts in Medicaid that would hurt North Carolina families. The Medicaid cuts proposed by President Bush and Republican congressional leaders would shift costs from the federal government to North Carolina, which is already struggling under the weight of increasing Medicaid costs.

"The Republican Congress and the Administration should not be allowed to pass the buck," Etheridge said. "North Carolina continues to face tough times balancing the budget and making ends meet. These federal cuts in Medicaid would be a disastrous blow. For vulnerable North Carolinians needing long-term care and families facing job losses, Medicaid is often the only place to turn for needed health care. Congress has a responsibility to protect Medicaid and those who depend on it."

Etheridge voted in favor of a motion to instruct budget conferees to protect Medicaid from budget cuts. The motion also called for creating a reserve fund to provide for a bipartisan Medicaid Commission to consider the long-term future of the program. The motion passed on a vote of 348 to 72.

Medicaid is the nation's largest health insurance program. It provides coverage for low-income Americans, including children, the elderly and the disabled. Last year, Medicaid covered 1.5 million people in North Carolina, including 870,000 children. Nearly 70 percent of those covered by Medicaid in North Carolina are families and children.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the proposed cuts in Medicaid would result in a shift of $34 billion in costs to the states over ten years. Many states could be forced to reduce Medicaid coverage or benefits, increasing the ranks of the uninsured.