Congress is debating hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, putting access to health care at risk for 1.8 million New Jerseyans. They include children, pregnant women, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. But make no mistake — we all will feel the impact if these drastic cuts are enacted.
Medicaid matters. It’s the safety net program that ensures the most vulnerable will have health care coverage and access to medical care. It’s an essential part of our state’s health care system, covering 1 in 3 children, 1 in 3 people with disabilities and nearly 1 in 3 expectant mothers. They could face losing their coverage, or seeing their medical services greatly limited, if Congress approves the massive package of $880 billion in cuts.
Medicaid — known as NJ FamilyCare here in our state — also covers 1 in every 4 hospital patients in New Jersey. Our hospitals care for all who rely on NJ FamilyCare for essential health care services. These cuts would not only disrupt care — they would destabilize our health care system and threaten New Jersey’s nationally ranked quality care we all depend on.
Cuts of this magnitude would force hospitals to make difficult decisions about staffing, services, and patient care.
It’s not only hospitals that rely on Medicaid to care for patients, pay their staff, and keep their doors open 24/7. Medicaid covers the care of 4 in 7 older adults in long term care facilities in New Jersey — more than half. It’s a lifeline for middle-income seniors who need the added support and services of residential health care. Assisted living and federally qualified health centers are other providers that rely on Medicaid.
Imagine what happens to New Jersey families if hundreds of thousands of our residents lose their Medicaid coverage at the same time our essential health care providers are forced to absorb these massive cuts: Backlogs in hospital ERs. Scarce openings for a long-term care placement. Long waits for an appointment at an FQHC.
New Jersey’s hospitals compassionately care for all who walk through their doors, including the millions of residents who rely on Medicaid for essential health care services. We’re proud to be key partners in our communities, contributing $31 billion in jobs, $5.4 billion for other businesses that work with hospitals, and $3.5 billion in community health programs. We’re proud of our 160,000 employees who deliver care and compassion in 18 million patient encounters annually. And we’re proud to have made New Jersey among the top states in the nation for patient safety and nursing excellence.
Congress’ vote will be pivotal to our healthcare system and the health of New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents. We appreciate the members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation for listening to the health care community’s concerns. Now, we urge our lawmakers to be guided by the principle held by generations of medical professionals: Do no harm.
Cathy Bennett is the CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association.
