Toolkit: Medicaid is Under Attack

Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are planning to gut Medicaid in their new budget proposal in order to give their billionaire campaign backers a new tax break. Medicaid is a vital service millions of Americans rely on, including seniors, people with disabilities, children, and low-income families, putting lives at risk while making billionaires even richer.

This toolkit provides essential messaging guidance, key talking points, digital content, and the latest news updates on the dangerous consequences of this budget plan that puts the well-being of 770,000 Ohioans in jeopardy.

Medicaid is incredibly popular amongst Americans with 77% having a favorable opinion of the program with another 76% against any cuts. Americans also are concerned about who would be most impacted by cutting medicaid, respondents overwhelmingly said low-income Americans, people with disabilities, seniors, and children. 

Source: https://navigatorresearch.org/a-majority-of-americans-oppose-cuts-to-medicaid-medicare-and-social-security/

• Frame Medicaid as a popular program that people rely on

• Mention groups Americans are most concerned about losing their medicaid: low-income families, people with disabilities, and seniors.

• For conservative audiences: add how Medicaid is a smart investment, provides a return on investment (163% annually), and explain how gutting Medicaid is more expensive than funding it.

• Name the villain by explaining the “why”: Trump and MAGA Republicans are gutting Medicaid in order to give a new massive tax break to their billionaire campaign backers

• Republicans in Congress intend to cut as much as $880B from Medicaid to pay for new tax breaks for the rich and big corporations

• Republicans are moving forward with the Project 2025 agenda, which threatens cuts to Medicaid for millions of people across the country in order to give their campaign backers a new tax cut. 

• Trump and MAGA Republicans are gutting Medicaid and shutting down rural hospitals so their billionaire donors can get even richer. Together, we can fight back and make sure every working family has the care we need.

• Donald Trump and Speaker Johnson are looking out for the special interests that got them elected — not for families who rely on Medicaid. While they protect tax breaks for the wealthy, they’re pushing cuts to Medicaid that millions depend on for critical care.

• Donald Trump and Republicans’ plans would gut Medicaid, putting healthcare for seniors, children with disabilities, and low-income families at risk — all while handing tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations.

• Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are slashing the programs families count on — including Medicaid. Instead of protecting healthcare access, they’re prioritizing the wealthy and corporations, leaving millions vulnerable without the care they need.

• Cutting Medicaid would have devastating consequences. It would strip essential healthcare from millions, especially low-income families and people with disabilities — increasing preventable illnesses and long-term health costs.

• Attacks on Medicaid are attacks on families. Losing coverage means skipped doctor visits, unaffordable prescriptions, and worsening health outcomes — all to fund more tax breaks for the wealthy.

• PPAO: Columbus Community Action Hour

• ACLU: Congress: Save Medicaid Now

• CAP: Take Action: Save Medicaid To Protect Health Care for Millions

• Save Medicaid from Massive Cuts

Medicaid is Under Attack Content

• 5 Facts About Medicaid Work Requirements

• Medicaid Funding Cuts and Associated Lives Lost Mapped by Congressional District

• Congressional Republicans’ Proposals To Slash Medicaid Could Cost Tens of Thousands of Lives

• How Federal Funding Cuts Could Unravel Medicaid Expansion in 12 States

• Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Mapped by 119th Congressional Districts

• House Republican Budget Takes Away Health Care, Food Aid to Pay for Expanded Tax Cuts for Wealthy

• Medicaid Enrollment in the U.S., by Congressional District

• Medicaid/CHIP Coverage by Congressional District, 2023

• House Republican Budget Plans Would Cut Social Security Benefits

• Here’s What to Know About Congressional Republicans’ Budget Plans

• Budget Resolution

• Medicaid is a Lifeline for People with Disabilities. Congress Must Act to Save It.

• Medicaid enables fulfilling livelihoods in Ohio and across America

• Medicaid cuts could add to Ohio’s struggle with infant and maternal mortality

• Voices from Ohio: The Harm of Medicaid Work Requirements

• 770,793 Ohioans are enrolled in Medicaid under the expansion program (Group VIII). 

• If Congress reduces the federal funding rate from 90% to a lower rate (closer to the typical 62.5%), Ohio would face billions of dollars in additional costs. 

• The pending state operating budget (HB 96) includes a provision that would immediately end Medicaid coverage for these individuals if the federal share drops below 90%. 

• This means that if the federal funding decreases, hundreds of thousands of low-income Ohioans could lose their health coverage very quickly.

• Ohio lawmakers wanted to give children a healthy start by keeping them on Medicaid health coverage through their fourth birthday. Then, House Republicans reversed course. The Ohio Department of Medicaid is in the process of putting together that waiver, which would benefit an estimated 3.9 million children by year five. But House Republicans want them to stop.

• Ohio plans to add work requirements for some and red tape for others covered under the state’s Medicaid expansion. The move is expected to take health insurance from tens, if not hundreds of thousands of the lowest income residents in the state, a group that already has poor health outcomes. Lawmakers are moving forward, even after hearing that efforts to take similar action in other states did not lead to more employment, just less access to health care.

• The House-passed budget includes a Medicaid trigger that would end Medicaid expansion if federal funds are cut.