AFT logo (reads AFT: Education, Healthcare, Public Services)
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Protect Medicaid: Save Lives, Save Communities

Medicaid funding is crucial to AFT members and the communities we serve. Access to healthcare is key for seeking and maintaining a job, but Congress is moving to cut Medicaid funding by $880 billion. Click and scroll down to see how your community could be impacted.

Graphic: Medicaid helps keep people healthy at all stages of life

Cuts to Medicaid will impact schools and hospitals and public services.

Schools

State Medicaid programs—and federal contributions to Medicaid, which cover at least half of spending—have been instrumental in ensuring consistent financing. Since 1988, Medicaid dollars in schools have supported:

  • Salaries for health professionals, such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists and school nurses;
  • High-quality physical and mental health services such as targeted case management, health education, cognitive behavioral therapy, catheterization, audiology and physical therapy;
  • Medical transportation for select students with individual education programs;
  • Equipment, including wheelchairs, lifts and therapeutic bicycles; and
  • Program administration, which can include helping eligible families enroll and even translations for diverse populations.
  • Click here (and scroll down) to see the percentage of students supported by Medicaid/CHIP in your school district

Hospitals

Photo of AFT President Randi Weingarten speaking at Brooklyn Needs Downstate event

Medicaid spent $262.6 billion on hospital care in 2022. Hospital spending accounted for 33 percent of total Medicaid spending and Medicaid payments to hospitals accounted for 19 percent of all payments to hospitals in 2022.  

Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital funding helps to keep safety-net hospitals open. AFT members are currently fighting to keep SUNY Downstate open.


Click here to see how many people use Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program in your Congressional district: https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2024/12/04/medicaid-chip-coverage-by-congressional-district-2023/
 

 

Public Employees and Higher Education

Medicaid provides more than half of federal funding to states. If we don't take action to protect this program, states will have to make cuts - law enforcement, higher education, and other public services could be slashed. 


Don’t believe the lies about Medicaid being a handout.

Graphic: Most adults with Medicaid work - and those who don't mainly are caring for family, ill or disabled, or going to school.


This is a fight we can win. Regardless of politics, people support Medicaid.
 

Graphic: Majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans hold positive views about Medicaid.

Additional Reading