“People like my daughter and millions of other people are going to lose access to that care.”
Jennie Knight’s daughter, Marissa, was diagnosed with borderline multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia at the age of 15. Now 30, and with a child of her own, Marissa has been able to manage her illness over the years thanks to Medicaid.
“It’s a lifelong, chronic disease that needs to be managed and unfortunately a lot of our private insurance does not always cover all the medication and treatment that she needs.”
The Republican-led House of Representatives approved President Trump’s spending bill, which includes $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid programs. In Kent County alone, over 212,000 residents rely on Medicaid for necessary healthcare services.
Knight says lawmakers should be talking with healthcare providers about cost and how to best serve patients.
“When you cut stuff like this so drastically without having plans in place for the fallout of it, it’s disastrous.”
The spending bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for its consideration.
