Congress is currently negotiating a budget resolution that would mandate severe Medicaid cuts over the next ten years. The Senate is scheduled to vote to a budget resolution the evening of April 4th so we are now focusing our efforts on the Senate.

Psychology professionals’ voice on this issue matters because Medicaid is our nation’s single largest payor for both mental health and behavioral health treatment. Additionally, rates of mental illness are higher among Medicaid beneficiaries than among those with private insurance, Medicare coverage, or no insurance coverage. 

Policies reforms currently being considered would make fundamental changes to the program, such as eligibility criteria or how it is financed. This includes proposals to: reduce the federal matching rate paid to states to support their Medicaid programs; impose a per-enrollee limit on federal Medicaid spending; or institute work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries, which have been shown to not increase employment, but did decrease access to care. 

If Congress chooses to cut funding for the program or amend eligibility, states would be left with the impossible choice of how to make up for the lost federal dollars.  This could include lowering the already-low reimbursement rates for the program, cutting enrollment in the program, or eliminating optional services like behavioral health services. 

Please ask your Senators and Representative to vote against any budget resolution that cuts Medicaid. It is critical that Congress preserve and protect the healthcare safety net providing access to health care for 80 million Americans. Please note that while threats to Medicaid funding and eligibility are our immediate concern, the future of Medicaid will likely be an on-going conversation in Congress over the next months. As discussions around the program evolve, please stay tuned for additional messages from us on this topic.

Additional Resources to Help You Personalize Your Message

Personalizing your message will make it more memorable for Congressional staff and therefore greatly increase its impact. You can find information relevant to your location and the field of psychology by…

• Visiting the Kaiser Family Foundation map, which shows Medicaid enrollment in U.S. states and congressional districts.
• Consulting state-by-state estimates of the impacts of Medicaid per-capita spending caps. 
• Reading this article on the likely effect of Medicaid cuts on access to behavioral health treatment.

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