RELEASE: Members of Congress, Citizen Action/Illinois, Advocates Gather Across Illinois Today to Celebrate 60 Years of Medicare & Medicaid Amid Devastating Cuts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Josh Schrader
josh@citizenaction-il.org
Members of Congress, Citizen Action/Illinois, Advocates Gather Across Illinois Today to Celebrate 60 Years of Medicare & Medicaid Amid Devastating Cuts
CHICAGO, IL – Today, Medicaid and Medicare, the two most popular healthcare programs in the United States, turn 60. Together, these two programs provide coverage and services to over 140 million people (about 40% of Americans). For decades these health programs have provided people with health care coverage, funded a range of critical health related services, supported hospitals and clinics, and provided a key source of federal funding for states. But the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) threatens access to Medicaid and Medicare according to this Illinois report, so this year, we've gathered to combine celebration for these programs with outrage as we fight to protect them for generations to come.
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congressman Bill Foster, Congressman Sean Casten, State Sen. Graciela Guzman, and advocates from Access Living, SEIU HCIIMK, Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans all joined Citizen Action/Illinois for a press conference at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Executive Director of Citizen Action/Illinois, Anusha Thotakura stated, “This irresponsible bill makes massive cuts to coverage, puts jobs and providers at risk, and shifts responsibility to state budgets at a time when federal funding for everything is being cut and the price of goods and services is skyrocketing. This is not the kind of economic policy that helps Illinois families or that most of us voted for last November. Instead of more trickle down tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporate tax breaks, Congress should be lowering prices and investing in Medicaid and Medicare for the future. We hope by gathering with advocates in Chicago, Peoria, and Carbondale today, we sent a message that these programs must be protected for generations to come.”
“Today, we should be celebrating Medicare and Medicaid, but instead, because of President Trump, we’re fighting for them,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.
Congressman Bill Foster said, “For 60 years, Republicans have been fighting tooth and nail against the proposition that all Americans deserve to have affordable health care, a decent place to lay their head when they go to sleep, and food to eat. The actions of the Trump administration and the big, beautiful, whatever you want to call it, are simply a continuation of that matter.”
Illinois State Senator Graciela Guzman also joined the press conference and pushed back against the attempts to continue to dismantle Medicaid and Medicare: “I was turning it over in my mind and thinking about what I would say to you all, because it is a birthday, but I think for me, I see it as a recommitment. Medicaid and Medicare are foundational. You will not touch them, literally. It will be over my body that you will cut coverage for people in our state, because we know what it does. It keeps our people alive with the dignity and compassion that they deserve. It restores faith in government. ”
The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) makes historical cuts to Medicaid, undermines the future of Medicare and rips critical Medicaid funding from hospitals, clinics and nursing homes that depend on the program to stay open. The new law rolls back over a decade of progress on extending Medicaid coverage to low-income adults who have no access to private coverage, on expanding substance use treatment, behavioral and mental health services, and post-partum care for new mothers - all funded through Medicaid. OBBBA also makes it harder for poor seniors and people with disabilities to stay on Medicare and for immigrants who are lawfully in the United States and have paid into the program from enrolling and receiving the benefits they have earned. Overall, the bill cuts $1 trillion out of Medicaid and another $500 billion out of Medicare even as the GOP lawmakers who passed it continue to insist they will protect Medicaid and Medicare and contemplate a second reconciliation bill.
A press exclusive fact sheet and talking points can be found here for access.
Citizen Action/Illinois is the state’s largest public interest coalition, dedicated to advocating for healthcare access, economic justice, and consumer rights. Through grassroots organizing and coalition building, we work to ensure policies that protect Illinois families, seniors, and communities.
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For Media Inquiries:
Contact
Josh Schrader
Citizen Action/Illinois
(402) 860-0689
josh@citizenaction-il.org
