As a family physician, I see firsthand the impact of Medicaid on the health of patients and communities. Cutting Medicaid does not affect health care costs or efficiency, and it does not improve quality of care, but it will worsen access to care and health care disparities.

More than 70 percent of our family physicians members are accepting new Medicaid patients. Medicaid provides insurance for 35 percent of all Illinois children and pays for 40 percent of childbirths, including delivery and postpartum care. Medicaid covers the costs for 69% of seniors living in nursing homes and health care for thousands in the Department of Child and Family Services system.  

Illinois relies on federal matching funds made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which reimburses states for 90 percent of their costs, to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income adults under the age of 65. The value of Medicaid is clearly demonstrated by increasing health insurance coverage in both urban and rural areas of Illinois,  And people who have coverage report having better access to care and better health. Illinois has experienced reduced mortality rates and infant mortality rates because of services provided by Illinois Medicaid coverage. 

Without federal funding, more than 770,000 Illinois residents enrolled in the expansion program could be left uninsured. Our state cannot afford to increase our Medicaid budget by 25 percent to make up the difference. Medicaid covers cancer screenings, vaccinations, and mental health care, in addition to chronic condition management. Access to health insurance allows people the opportunity to stay healthy and treat health conditions when they arise. 

Cuts to funding under a call for government efficiency disregard the real costs of cutting access to care. Those costs include more preventable illness, chronic illnesses left untreated and important screenings missed. Poorer health status will lead to lost days of work and lives lost because people could not get the right care at the right time. Congress must protect and fully fund this vital program, and our Department of Health and Human Services must ensure that Medicaid remains strong.