WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and dean of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, issued the following statement today on a Families USA report examining the devastating impact of the Republican-proposed Medicaid cuts on Massachusetts’ economy and jobs. The report, “Jobs At Risk: Federal Medicaid Cuts Would Harm State Economies”, shows that Medicaid cuts would jeopardize as many as 50,180 jobs and as much as $6.8 billion in state business activity. Within each level of proposed cuts, Massachusetts is among the top ten most impacted states with regards to business activity and jobs lost.
“Republicans have ‘Deficit Attention Disorder’ – they only pay attention to the deficit when they want to dismantle Medicaid and programs the middle class rely on,” said Rep. Markey. “If Republicans were truly serious about cutting the federal deficit, they would support ending tax breaks for billionaires and oil companies – not cripple a program that pays for Grandma’s nursing home care and provides healthcare for children and the disabled.”
“Massachusetts is near the top of the list when it comes to the damage that would be inflicted by these reckless Republican cuts. I thank Families USA for its work to illuminate just how destructive the Republican plan is, which is another call to action to defeat the GOP’s plan to gut Medicaid.”
The report looks at the economic impact of a 5 percent, 15 percent, and 33 percent cut in current Medicaid funding levels.
Implementing a 5 percent cut in Medicaid spending in 2011 would:
- Cost Massachusetts more than $468 million in federal Medicaid dollars and put at risk more than $1.0 billion in business activity and 7,600 jobs;
- Cost the entire country nearly $14 billion needed to support healthcare for the most vulnerable residents, including funding for seniors in nursing homes and people with disabilities.
- In Massachusetts, two-thirds of nursing home residents rely on Medicaid to cover the cost of those services.
- Cost Massachusetts more than $1.4 billion in federal Medicaid dollars and put at risk more than $3.1 billion in business activity and 22,810 jobs;
- Cost the entire country $41.25 billion needed to support health care for vulnerable residents.
A 33 percent cut in federal Medicaid spending in 2011 would:
- Cost Massachusetts nearly $3.1 billion in federal Medicaid dollars and put at risk more than $6.8 billion in business activity and 50,180 jobs;
- Cost the entire country almost $90.8 billion needed to support health care for vulnerable residents.
Within each level of proposed cuts, Massachusetts is among the top ten most impacted states with regards to business activity and jobs lost.
A copy of the report can be found HERE.
