“The House Republicans recently voted for a budget proposal that would remove millions from Medicaid, food assistance, housing and other programs.”
Becky Palmer is a member of Indivisible of Greater Grand Rapids, the local chapter of a nationwide grassroots organization focused on educating the public on current legislation.
“And we’re concerned that those tax cuts are really just to fund the wealthy and not take care of the people who are in need.”
While Republicans say their budget doesn’t make cuts to Medicaid, many analysts believe the budget as presented is impossible to fund without cuts to benefits programs.
“I personally don’t trust that promise because is the top administration decides what they’re going to do, then it seems like every Republican falls in line and goes along with whatever he says.”
Indivisible member Mary Gleiter says cuts to Medicaid would be devastating to her 67-year-old brother, Patrick, who lives with permanent brain damage.
“We worry about healthcare for Patrick and people like him if Medicaid programs went away or, God forbid, Patrick had to go into a nursing home.”
In Kent County alone, over 38,000 people are enrolled in Medicaid’s Healthy Michigan Plan, while over 76,000 receive supplemental nutrition assistance, or SNAP benefits.
