WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan led the PA Democratic Delegation in an effort to stop the Administration’s latest attempt to undermine our Commonwealth’s crucial Medicaid system and threaten the health and lives of thousands across our communities. In a letter to the Administration, the Chrissy and her colleagues advocated for the 8000,000 adults in Pennsylvania who access affordable health care through Medicaid expansion.

“In the simplest terms, the Administration’s guidance is a continuation of their attacks on what is working in our health care system. Medicaid expansion helped 800,000 adults in Pennsylvania get access to affordable health care,” said Houlahan (PA-06). “I made a promise to my community that I would do everything I could to not only protect but also to expand access to quality and affordable health care. This proposal does neither and is harmful. This February marks Health Care Month in our office, and we are spending time having conversations in our community about how we can better achieve a Commonwealth where everyone can access the care they need. I am proud to lead my Pennsylvanian colleagues in this effort and will continue speaking out for all the people back home who rely on Medicaid.”

“This drastic change is dangerous because, by allowing states to turn some of their Medicaid funds into a block grant, it incentivizes states to cut costs and reduce coverage of Medicaid,” said Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02). “In addition, it will allow states to impose work requirements, cut provider payments, and require cost sharing and premiums without separate permission from the federal government. I will do everything I can to protect Medicaid beneficiaries from this attempt to undermine the program and will continue to vote against it on the House floor.”

“This Medicaid cut from the Trump-Pence administration would break the president’s promise not to cut Medicaid, harm many vulnerable Pennsylvanians and force more Pennsylvania hospitals to close,” said Congressman Dwight Evans, PA-3. “I’m grateful Governor Tom Wolf has given a quick, resounding ‘NO’ to the Trump-Pence Medicaid cut in Pennsylvania!”

“I am deeply concerned about this Administration’s efforts to tear away health care from our most vulnerable – further proving that President Trump’s rhetoric doesn’t match his actions,” Rep. Dean (PA-04) said. “Health care is a right, and cutting the health care of the poor, children, seniors, and people with disabilities is cruel, and I urge the Administration to reverse this harmful decision.”

“Protecting Medicaid funding is crucial to ensuring an equitable health care system,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05). “The Trump Administration's proposed guidance would jeopardize health care for millions of low-income Americans, and could lead to shrinking coverage and increasing costs. I am grateful to Governor Wolf for his leadership and am proud to join my Pennsylvania colleagues in rejecting this guidance.”

“This administration’s proposed Medicaid block grants would hurt the very people Medicaid is intended to help,” said Rep. Wild (PA-07). “This is an outrageous attack on hard-working families struggling to make ends meet and I am proud to stand with my colleagues from Pennsylvania in demanding better from this administration. I am committed to working with absolutely anyone to expand, not restrict access to healthcare for our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians and I will do everything in my power to ensure this policy does not hurt countless working families across the country.”

“Let's be clear about what the Medicaid block grant plan would do: it would put health care for the most vulnerable among us on the chopping block,” said Rep. Cartwright, who represents Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District. “Across our state, nearly three million people are covered by Medicaid, including 800,000 who gained coverage as a result of the expansion. Medicaid is also a lifeline for rural hospitals. Before the expansion, we lost two hospitals in Northeastern Pennsylvania alone, both from financial distress. When your local hospital closes, your health care suffers, even if you still have your own insurance. Now is not the time to turn back the clock on this successful program that has helped millions of Pennsylvanians get the care they need.”

“This is just the latest Trump Administration attempt to roll back the expansion of Medicaid enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, and like previous efforts, it would result in either fewer people covered or fewer health care services provided,” said Representative Mike Doyle (PA-18). “The bottom line with all of these block grant efforts is that the federal government would spend less on health care for some of the most vulnerable Americans, and low-income households would suffer. With nearly a million Pennsylvanians’ health care at risk, it’s no surprise that Pennsylvania won’t participate in this charade – or that we’re urging the Administration to scrap this ill-conceived plan.”

“This Administration continues to focus on how to take health care away from people, rather than work with those on both sides who are determined to make sure everyone is covered with a plan they can actually afford,” said Rep. Conor Lamb (PA-17).  The Medicaid program covers seniors, children, and people with disabilities.  The Administration’s plan will leave them worse off, and improve health care for no one. We cannot allow that.”

Full text of the letter can be found here.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She’s in her first term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

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