Thread: Advo Warn Medicaid Cuts Would Disproportionately Hit Latinos

Posted July 20, 2011 at 12:12pm

CQ Healthbeat News
July 19, 2011
By: Melissa Attias

With Republicans and Democrats still at odds over changes to health care entitlements, two advocacy groups warned Tuesday that cuts to Medicaid would threaten a critical source of insurance for millions of Latino children and their families.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a Latino civil rights organization, and Families USA, a consumer advocacy group, released a report that found that in 2009, nearly half of all Hispanics under age 18 were covered by either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Of those children, the vast majority (82.9 percent) lived in households with earnings below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

The report also found that Medicaid cuts would disproportionately affect Latinos of all ages in comparison to non-Hispanic whites. While 26.5 percent of Latinos were covered by Medicaid or CHIP in 2009, 10.7 percent of non-Hispanic whites were enrolled in those programs.

"Private health coverage, obtained through the workplace or purchased directly from an insurance company, is often unattainable for these Latino families, and the problem has only deepened as the nation struggles with an economic recession," Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said on a conference call. "Cutting Medicaid does much more than changing bottom lines in budget debates. It also cuts the health lifeline for millions of Americans who need it the most."

Members of the congressional Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific Americans caucuses have scheduled a joint news conference Wednesday to address this issue.

Without access to Medicaid, the report cautioned that the uninsured rate among Hispanics - already at approximately 32 percent - would continue to grow. The report also said that Medicaid enrollees are more likely to access health care, report better physical and mental health, and incur less medical debt than low-income, uninsured individuals, according to a recent study.

As the budget negotiations continue, both groups announced on the conference call that they would hold a national "call-in day" on Wednesday to lobby against making cuts to Medicaid. Participants will be able to call their members of Congress and use a Twitter petition tool that connects them with the Twitter accounts of elected officials.

"We are deeply troubled by the direction of the budget conversations right now...and how it’s thrown lots of issues into the mix, including Medicaid cuts, really frivolously," said Eric Rodriguez, vice president of NCLR’s Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation. "This is an issue that is very near to our community."

http://www.standupforhealthcare.org/new ... it-latinos

BY GOD IT SHOULD HURT THEM.They havent put a dime in it.Go to any pharmacy and watch how many use it and cant even speak english.This is whats wrong with system.

Republican cuts to Medicaid would devastate Latino families and children

Wednesday, as part of joint campaign to protect Medicaid from budget cuts, Families USA and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) co-released an NCLR report that underscored Medicaid's critical role in ensuring access to health care for Latinos.

One of our board members and chair of SEIU Healthcare, Dr. L. Toni Lewis, shared some of her thoughts on the report in this fantastic post, which underscores the urgency of taking action to protect the Medicaid lifeline, along with some easy ways to get involved in the fight to protect our health care rights.

From Dr. Lewis:

Medicaid covers one of every two Latino children across this country, and one of every four adults. It is the lifeline that ensures both the youngest and eldest members of Latino communities are able to see a doctor, instead of being forced to rely on emergency room care.

Sadly, secure, quality health care coverage has long been out of reach for many Latino families who work hard but simply cannot afford the skyrocketing cost of healthcare. A new report released by the National Council of La Raza and Families USA underscores what physicians, nurses and healthcare workers have witnessed with growing concern:

If Republican plans to gut Medicaid and take away the benefits of the Affordable Care Act become reality, millions of Americans will be harmed - but the harm to Latino communities would be exponentially greater.

The Meaning of Medicaid: A State-by-State Breakdown provides an in-depth look at the number of Latinos covered by Medicaid nationally and in each state. [Download the PDF report]

Now more than ever, it is critical that SEIU members and all Americans continue to reach out to their fellow Americans to take a stand for their health and urge members of Congress to protect Medicaid from extreme cuts. Ask your friends and family to oppose devastating cuts to Medicaid in any debt ceiling negotiation by spreading the word on Facebook now.

There is also a great new online tool from Families USA that allows you to enter your zip code to find and tweet your elected officials to stand up for Medicaid. Check it out here.

http://www.standupforhealthcare.org/blo ... d-children

Need to be cutting more then the medicaid from them (illegals). Just give'm the boot out

Sorry, I'm NOT buying it. If they can afford to send BILLIONS back to their homelands, they can damn well afford to pay for their own healthcare!!

Every US citizen (those whose parents are also US citizens) should be able to access affordable health care. That being said, there is NO reason why US citizens should be forced to pay for healthcare for illegal aliens!

If illegal aliens come here to "work" like they claim, and not the handouts (HA! ) then they should be able to pay their own way with NO free bennies. Cut them off!!

Legal immigrants are already excluded from getting medicaid, why are illegal aliens getting it???

Perhaps maybe they should consider returning to their home countries. I am sure that Mexico, Dominican Republic and all the other banana republic countries that send their most revered nationals here have much better health care options in place for them.