More than a dozen La Plata County residents on Tuesday shared stories of how Medicaid helped them – through a pregnancy, mental health care for a child or lifesaving personal treatment.
Several said the joint federal and state program saved them from financial ruin.
After hearing testimonials, La Plata County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution supporting federally funded Medicaid.
“This resolution is about real people. It’s about working families, seniors, veterans and children who would lose access to basic health care if those proposed federal cuts do go through,” said Commissioner Matt Salka. “This resolution also tells our federal delegation: Don’t balance the federal budget on the backs of rural counties and working families; protect our residents, protect our budget and protect the health care system that we all depend on.”
The proposed cuts are a part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by the U.S. House on May 22.
In addition to cementing sweeping tax cuts, the legislation includes major changes to Medicaid, which assists low-income people with medical expenses.
It would impose work requirements, mandating that eligible Medicaid recipients submit proof of employment twice a year.
Ninety-three percent of Medicaid recipients are already employed, act as full-time caregivers or are attending school, said Bayfield resident Nancy Krebs during Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting. Many also have disabilities or chronic illnesses that prevent them from working, she said.
If enacted, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 4.8 million.
“These proposed reductions could have devastating impacts on one in four La Plata County residents who are enrolled in Medicaid, which could create cascading health and economic uncertainty for individuals, families, regional health systems and local economies,” said Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton.
Many rural hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements, said Nicole Milo, regional director of government affairs for Mercy Hospital. If those funds are cut, some hospitals may be forced to close, she said. That would place an undue burden on Mercy and reduce access to both preventive and emergency care across Southwest Colorado – regardless of patients’ insurance status.
Porter-Norton criticized providing close to a $100,000 in tax cuts for the wealthy, while simultaneously reducing support for society’s most vulnerable.
“If this goes through, I think this will be one of the cruelest public policy decisions ever made by the federal government,” Porter-Norton said. “It’s just cruel, and it’s cruel because it’s unnecessary.”
U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, who represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, has said he supports Medicaid but favors “targeted reforms,” including work requirements. He argues that able-bodied individuals should be incentivized to work, and that current policies sometimes fail to do that.
Porter-Norton vowed to hold Hurd accountable for his promise to maintain Medicaid funding and then voting for the bill.
“People are going to die if this is passed, and so we will deliver this resolution to him,” Porter-Norton said. “… I want you to know we’re going to bring these voices to Congressman Hurd and the senators every single way we can.”
jbowman@durangoherald.com
