[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 133 (Wednesday, October 19, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8953-H8954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MEDICAID CUTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON WOMEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong opposition to the 
Republican plan to cut billions of dollars to critically needed Federal 
programs like the Medicaid program.
  In proposing offsets for the $70 billion cost of hurricane relief, 
Republicans claim that they are increasing spending cuts from $35 
billion to $50 billion in order to pay for the expenses recently 
incurred by the devastation of recent hurricanes in the gulf coast.
  However, Republicans have targeted Medicaid and other important 
programs that serve our Nation's most vulnerable populations like women 
and children. The reckless Republican budget imposes painful sacrifices 
on low and moderate income women and their families in the name of 
deficit reduction.
  Republicans claim that offsetting the cost of hurricane relief is 
fiscally responsible. However, in my opinion it is inconsistent with 
the decision in recent years not to offset tax cuts that cost $106 
billion or supplemental funding for Iraq that has cost the U.S. nearly 
$251 billion, four times the cost of Hurricane Katrina.

[[Page H8954]]

  These cuts will not go to offset the cost of the hurricane. These 
cuts will only be used to facilitate additional tax cuts to our 
Nation's wealthiest Americans, those who make well over $200,000 a year 
and up.
  Republicans are cutting services for hard working families in my 
district and, instead, giving away $70 billion in new tax cuts to the 
wealthiest Americans. These cuts are reckless, in my opinion, and 
unfair to the middle and lower income families and reflect the 
Republican-led Congress' double standards.
  Cuts to Medicaid, an already underfunded program, would have a 
devastating impact on women and their families by cutting vital 
services especially important to them. Medicaid is an important health 
insurance program for millions of low income elderly and disabled 
Americans.
  State and Federal Governments have ensured that more than 53 million 
people, including 14 percent of low income Americans, have access to 
health care services through the Medicaid program. This includes 25 
million children. More than 1 in every 4 children in the U.S. is 
covered by this program.
  This also includes more than 30 percent of children with disabilities 
who rely on Medicaid for health coverage and services. Medicaid, as you 
know, provides essential care, such as family planning, breast and 
cervical cancer treatment, care for disabled women, to more than 16 
million women, including approximately 10 million women of child-
bearing age.
  Nearly 1 in 10 women in the U.S. receives health care coverage 
through Medicaid. One-third of all poor women are covered by Medicaid, 
including 40 percent of single women. Mothers are twice as likely as 
men to qualify for Medicaid, because they are poor and in lower paying 
jobs that are less likely to have employer-sponsored insurance.
  Health insurance, as you know, is critical to women, because mothers 
with health insurance are more likely to stay employed and get health 
care for their children than those lacking insurance. And women, as you 
know, of reproductive age are in a vulnerable position, because they 
are more likely to lack health insurance.
  Medicaid accounts, as you know, for two-thirds of all of the Federal 
and State family planning funding nationwide. And, by the way, low 
income pregnant women can receive critical prenatal care when they need 
it without being turned away from the program.
  Medicaid ensures that women receive a full spectrum of maternity 
coverage, including prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum care. 
Medicaid, as you know, is important to the health of women of all ages, 
and Medicaid is the largest source of funding for women over the age of 
80 living in nursing homes.
  This program covers high-cost nursing homes and long-term care 
services.
  In my State of California, the Medicaid program is run jointly by the 
Federal, State and local county governments. The Federal share cost in 
California is about 50 percent.
  Medicaid in California provides vital health services to low income 
women who comprise right now 74 percent of the beneficiaries ages 19 
and older. And in my State of California, 42 percent of all births in 
the State are paid for by Medicaid.
  These facts demonstrate, in my opinion, that Medicaid is a 
significant health safety net for women and their children. The cuts in 
Medicaid would shut the neediest individuals out of the public health 
system and put the health of millions of women and children at risk. 
Proposing reductions without ensuring the preservation of coverage for 
those in need simply transfers the burden to the States that are 
already overstretched.
  Medicaid cuts will shift costs to the States, impose higher costs to 
beneficiaries, and health care providers. States would be forced to 
reduce coverage and benefits. Despite the national tragedy, the 
proposed Republican budget would cut billions of dollars from Medicaid 
while doing nothing to make sure that we have affordable health care 
for Americans.
  Democrats believe in strengthening and not undermining Medicaid. The 
Federal Government should fulfill its promise of being a reliable 
partner. We must protect Medicaid and maintain the current Federal 
commitment to this fundamental public health insurance system.
  I am in strong opposition to the Republican budget, because it does 
not keep the best interests of women and their children in mind. I urge 
my colleagues to provide full funding for Medicaid, and preserve the 
health care safety net program that many women and children rely on 
currently.

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