ROANOKE, Va. – Shawn Phillips, 44, enjoys puzzles, music, and basketball. He also lives with autism and cerebral palsy, and like nearly 2 million Virginians, he relies on Medicaid for essential care.
In March, the federal government proposed up to $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade, citing rising national debt and budget pressures. Medicaid is a joint federal-state health insurance program that provides care for low-income adults, children, and people with disabilities. Virginia’s Medicaid program covers essential services, including doctor visits, medications, and long-term care. But the proposed cuts threaten that access.
“You always want your children to have the best, to have a good life, says Sandra Phillips, Shawn’s mother. “We parents who have children with disabilities have a lot of obstacles to overcome. Why put another one in front of us when we’re trying to work through the ones we already have?”
Ray Ratke, CEO of enCircle, a nonprofit that supports more than 500 Virginians with developmental disabilities, says thousands are already on waitlists for Medicaid-funded disability services, and cuts would just grow the waitlist and erase decades of progress.
“We see the impact Medicaid makes on people’s lives, where someone is with them 27/4, providing basic needs. These decision-makers are a long way from seeing the benefits that happen on ground for people who are dependent on Medicaid resources. “
Phillps agrees. “If we didn’t have Medicaid, I would not be able to afford his medications because I’m retired. I’m on Social Security. So, I’m hoping they will reconsider all this.”