Medicaid is a vital program that provides health care coverage to millions of Americans, including nearly 2 million in Washington. US Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell deserve our gratitude for opposing the potential $880 billion in federal cuts to Medicaid now on the table in Congress. Cuts of this magnitude would impact the lives of two million patients in Washington State; half of whom are children, all who rely on Medicaid for essential health care services.
Our state Medicaid program is already underfunded. Washington’s low Medicaid reimbursements rates don’t cover the cost of care. Reimbursement rates for specialties are among the worst in the nation, making it difficult for healthcare providers to offer the necessary services to Medicaid patients. This underfunding creates significant challenges for both patients and providers.
Physicians and clinics simply cannot see all the Medicaid patients who need them. As a result, Medicaid patients increasingly must choose whether to travel long distances for care, wait a long time for an appointment, or completely go without. These patients often end up in our emergency departments, where care is much more expensive, with health issues that have progressed due to an inability to access timely care. This not only places a financial burden on our healthcare system but also leads to poorer health outcomes for patients who are unable to receive the care they need when they need it.
Right now in Olympia, there is a bill in the Legislature, House Bill 1392, the Medicaid Access Program, that would invest in our Medicaid program and allow Washington’s physicians and practitioners to provide more essential services to Medicaid patients. This bill represents a crucial step towards addressing the funding gaps and ensuring that Medicaid patients have access to timely and appropriate care.
Join me in urging state lawmakers to pass HB 1392 immediately to ensure that Medicaid patients receive the care they desperately need. By supporting this bill, we can promote access to care, fund needed investments in our state’s Medicaid program, and ultimately improve the health and well-being of our communities.
Sincerely,
Mark E Mantei
WWW.TVC.ORG
