(WXYZ) — The U.S. House passed a budget resolution this week, which some fear could bring significant cuts to Medicaid.
Medicaid provides health insurance to over 2.6 million Michiganders, among them those living with disabilities like Warriors on Wheels bracing for what comes next.
Carrie Bradley and her son Darryl Goldsmith, who was born with Down syndrome, recently got a letter in the mail informing them about a stop in Medicaid benefits due to changes to his Social Security Income.
“Darryl’s Medicaid is going to be cut off as the 13th of March,” said Bradley. “This came about because he got a $469 raise in his Social Security because his father died.”
Bradley says they have no choice but to reapply because the need is still there to cover needed services he uses weekly.
“Trying to get family members to take you to counseling appointments, doctor appointments, picking up medication, that's going to be a lot. I'm totally blind, so I can't drive. I have to depend on other people,” Bradley explained.
Now, they're working with Lisa Franklin, who lives with a disability herself and spends most of her time advocating for equity for people with them through her non-profit Warriors on Wheels.
“We advocate for better transportation, accessible, affordable housing options, also advocate for better healthcare,” said Franklin.
Franklin says she and many of her members rely on Medicaid benefits and is very concerned more letters like it could be coming as the federal government focuses on cutting spending.
“If Medicare were to be cut, it would be dire because you already have too many people falling through the crack,” said Franklin.
As budget talks continue in Washington and lawmakers are tasked to come up with ways to save $2 trillion in spending over the next decade to pay for tax cuts, Franklin is hoping Medicaid benefits won't be on the chopping block, but she’s hearing many different messages.
“Too many questions, too many questions, so we're asking people to call the legislature and let them know their concerns,” said Franklin.
We asked the chair of the Oakland County GOP office about the growing fears.
“I think it's unfortunately fear mongering by the Democrat party because they're losing on all fronts right now and Lisa McClain, one of the congresswomen out of my district, she said just yesterday there's absolutely no - the Republican party is not going to be slashing Medicaid,” said Vance Patrick, Chairman of the Oakland County Republican Party.
Patrick says the focus should be on the fact that the work being done in Washington is addressing fraud and reducing government spending.
“We're saving money. How could we not all get behind saving money?” said Patrick.
Rocky Raczkowski, former Republican majority leader of the Michigan House, is echoing that message.
“If we want to make sure we preserve these systems without any future cuts and we make sure that our seniors and our most needed and our most protected, we need to take care of those seamsters and fraudsters that are taking money away from those that did pay into the system or that did earn their rights,” said Raczkowski.
Franklin says they'll be paying attention to what that process looks like.
Web extra: Rocky Raczkowski talks about possible cuts
