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Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Would Kick Marylanders Off Their Health Insurance and Reduce Access to Care

Baltimore, MD – Last Sunday, Congress released their latest budget reconciliation proposal that includes extreme cuts across the Medicaid program. In response, the Maryland Department of Health has released a new fact sheet​ that details how some of these policy proposals designed at cutting Medicaid would impact Marylanders.

The proposed cuts include work requirements that make it harder for people to enroll in and keep their health coverage, a reduction in federal funding for providers, and limits on care and services for children, families, and older adults. 

"Every change proposed by the federal government will impact individuals receiving coverage through Medicaid and the providers that serve them" said Dr. Meena Seshamani, Maryland Secretary of Health. "Children, families, and older adults rely on the state and federal government to work in partnership to provide their critical care. The Maryland Department of Health remains committed to that partnership and to all Marylanders."

Maryland Medicaid is one of the state’s largest, most effective anti-poverty programs. It delivers life saving health care coverage for over 1.5 million people, including almost half of all children in the state. Medicaid supports families throughout their lifespans. Medicaid pays for over 40% of all births and provides coverage for seniors in nursing homes, veterans, and people with disabilities. 

Medicaid is also an economic engine of the state’s health care system supporting over 120,000 providers in hospitals and clinics across the state. It is the primary insurance for nursing home coverage, making up over 80% of nursing home revenue. These proposed federal cuts and burdensome new requirements would force providers to cut costs and limit patient access. 

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program, and is funded and managed collaboratively by both the federal government and individual state governments. The federal government is a critical partner in the state's ability to ensure access to health coverage and services for its Medicaid population. Maryland Medicaid’s budget is $14.6 billion, almost 60% of which is funded by the federal government. In total, Medicaid makes up more than 20% of the state’s total budget.

“These proposed changes shift the government's focus from providing quality health coverage to children and families to, instead, reducing investment in our already-strained health care system and creating unnecessary, inefficient barriers to care," said Ryan Moran, Deputy Secretary of Health Care Financing and Medicaid Director.

For more information visit health.maryland.gov/mmcp/Pages/home.aspx​​​.