Letter to the Editor: Let’s think carefully about Medicaid: It Affects All of Us
Naomi Ludman of Dowagiac writes, “We should remember that when people receive health care coverage, they are more likely to be able to work regular hours and contribute to the local economy. Healthy children do better in school. All of these things benefit our community. Taking away Medicaid coverage from people not only hurts them, it hurts all of us.”
To the Editor:
The U.S. House of Representatives has just voted for a bill that would lead to massive cuts in Medicaid. We should all care about that because these cuts affect US!
Medicaid covers:
• 1 in 5 people living in the United States
• 4 out of 10 births – that’s nearly half
• 4 out 10 children
• 1 out of every 6 adults
• Nearly half of children with special care needs
• 5 in 8 nursing residents (Kaiser Family Foundation data; links below)
These are not just numbers; they are your neighbors, maybe even your children and grandchildren, or your father or grandmother. They are my great grandchildren, and the granddaughter of a dear friend. Who among us does not have someone dear to us who is covered by Medicaid?
And let’s abolish the myth that people on Medicaid don’t work. Perhaps you know someone who is on Medicaid that should be working. This can happen, but research shows that this would be an exception.
Approximately 92% of non-elderly Medicaid adults are either working full-time (64%) or part-time (28%). The remaining 8% are not working due to qualifying reasons, such as caregiving responsibilities, illness or disability, or school attendance. This does not include people under 65 who are on social security disability programs. (https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/5-key-facts-about-medicaid-work-requirements/)
We should remember that when people receive health care coverage, they are more likely to be able to work regular hours and contribute to the local economy. Healthy children do better in school. All of these things benefit our community. Taking away Medicaid coverage from people not only hurts them, it hurts all of us.
In addition, working people pay for services such as Medicaid through payroll deductions. So let’s face it, our representatives who voted for this bill are not asking people to stop paying in, but they certainly want to stop paying out.
Naomi Ludman
Dowagiac
**https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/10-things-to-know-about-medicaid/
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/5-key-facts-about-medicaid-and-pregnancy/
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/5-key-facts-about-children-with-special-health-care-needs-and-medicaid/
https://www.childrenshospitals.org/news/cha-blog/2025/04/by-the-numbers-medicaid-is-vital-to-kids
Any views or opinions expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors.
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