Residents even from House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) strongly Republican congressional area are expressing their dissatisfaction with the Republicans' attempts to reduce financing for Medicaid.
NBC News reported Wednesday Rural residents in southwest Louisiana, which falls under Representative Johnson’s constituency, are urging the Speaker to make top priority a programme offering healthcare coverage for those with lower incomes. Reverend Leroy McClelland informed the network that due to various health problems, he relies heavily on support systems such as Medicaid and food assistance programmes. Both of these would be reduced as per the Republicans' budget plan. —to earn enough money.
McClelland stated, “People simply cannot live without this.” He further advised Congress, saying, “[...] Support us. Individuals are suffering out here. Even though you represent Louisiana, Mr. Speaker of the House, bridge the gap between parties. Collaborate to take necessary actions. This is what I urge you to do.”
READ MORE: This could lead to deaths": Republicans criticized for cutting Medicaid funding to finance a $4.5 trillion tax reduction
Based on NBC reports, about 25% of individuals below the age of 65 residing in Johnson's constituency use Medicaid as their healthcare coverage. Additionally, around 20% of these residents utilize food stamps to manage grocery expenses. The recent budget resolution approved by the House along strict partisan lines proposes slashing Medicaid funding by $880 billion, with cuts also impacting food stamp expenditures. slashed by $230 billion .
Meanwhile, the Republican budget proposal would extend President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax reductions until FY 2035. According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, this extension would amount to approximately $4.5 trillion over that period. Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS) mentioned earlier that the legislation favored the wealthy, was costly, and did not fulfill its commitments. According to the CBPP analysis, high-income families were projected to receive over three times the amount of tax reductions compared to those from lower and middle-income brackets.
Summer Stinson from Vinton, Louisiana expressed her concerns to NBC about potentially not being able to afford health insurance if the budget that her congressman guided through the House of Representatives was enacted into law.
My kids rely on Medicaid, so I genuinely worry about this issue. The cost of insurance through our current providers is just too high," Stinson explained. "We honestly don't know how we'd manage without it.
READ MORE: "People Will Die": California Republicans Face Heat Over Proposed Medicaid Cuts
Click here to view NBC's complete report.
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