Article Summary –
Lucy Hurst, a 64-year-old nursing assistant with 50 years of experience, is deeply concerned about the potential implications of substantial Medicaid cuts proposed by House Republicans, which could result in millions losing health care and potentially lead to the closure of nursing homes and hospitals. The proposed cuts, intended to fund tax cuts for the wealthy and military spending, are projected to increase the national debt by $3.3 trillion while disproportionately affecting lower-income individuals and risking the lives and well-being of vulnerable populations reliant on Medicaid, such as nursing home residents. In response, a coalition of health care workers and advocacy groups in Pennsylvania is actively campaigning to raise awareness about the critical importance of Medicaid and to urge lawmakers to reject the legislation.
Lucy Hurst has spent 50 years working in nursing homes.
Beginning her career at 15, the Scranton native has dedicated most of her life to aiding those unable to care for themselves.
Now at 64, Hurst faces uncertainty about her future and that of her patients as House Republicans push for significant Medicaid cuts.
The Congressional Budget Office projects these cuts may lead 13.7 million people to lose coverage nationwide. In Pennsylvania, where one-quarter of the population relies on Medicaid, experts and officials like Gov. Josh Shapiro warn it could lead to hundreds of thousands losing coverage and the closure of hospitals and nursing homes.
“These Medicaid cuts are life-threatening,” said Hurst, a nursing assistant at Dunmore Health Care Center near Scranton. “You’re talking thousands of people in the 660-some facilities in PA alone. What are you going to do with them?”
Republicans advocate these cuts to fund former President Trump’s tax reductions and mass deportations. The bill also includes cuts to SNAP, education, and clean energy tax credits. It’s often called the “big, beautiful bill” by Republicans and critiqued by Democrats as the “big, beautiful bill for billionaires.”
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget reports that the House bill would add $3.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years. It would enrich the wealthiest while costing those earning under $51,000 about $700 annually, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model. Medicaid has saved over 27,000 lives since 2010, per the National Bureau of Economic Research paper.
Democratic Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta questioned, “What is enough for those prioritizing tax breaks over essential services?”
‘I think they’ll die’
Hurst hopes Congress hears her plea. Nationwide, 80 million Americans, or 20% of the population, depend on Medicaid. In Pennsylvania, Medicaid supports 59% of nursing home residents, 39% of children, and 34% of births, according to the state’s Department of Human Services.
In Dunmore, 87 out of 88 residents use Medicaid. Hurst questions the survival of residents and families without these funds. Medicaid funds 63% of nursing home care in Pennsylvania, per Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. Reduced funding could spell disaster for residents, caregivers, and local economies.
“Is their family capable of taking care of them?” Hurst wonders. “I think they’ll die. The shock alone would kill them.”
Medicaid cuts would impact jobs and rural economies, Hurst adds. “Where will I work? I’ve been in this for 50 years. At 64, where am I going to go?”
Local businesses reliant on nursing home staff would suffer too, Hurst worries. “The economy will fall. Businesses will fall.”
A coalition fights for Medicaid
Hurst isn’t alone. SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, and the Pennsylvania Health Access Network have formed a coalition to highlight the risks of Medicaid cuts on vulnerable Pennsylvanians.
Coalition members travel statewide educating the public on Medicaid’s benefits and urging GOP lawmakers to oppose the cuts. Recently, they rallied at Hurst’s Dunmore facility and Langhorne Gardens Health and Rehabilitation Center.
“Since 2019, 30 nursing homes in PA have closed,” said Zach Shamberg, president of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. “Federal and state Medicaid cuts will lead to more closures and worsen the access-to-care crisis.”
With an aging population, Pennsylvania faces increased health care needs, coinciding with potential Medicaid and Social Security cuts under Trump, Shamberg and SEIU president Matt Yarnell say.
“It’s life or death,” Yarnell states. “Without skilled nursing facilities and these programs, people will die younger.”
—
Read More Pennsylvania News
