With Medicaid Cut Details Looming, Cantwell Releases Snapshot Report Showing How WA's Seniors Could Suffer

In exclusive survey, 67 of 68 WA nursing homes say even a 5% Medicaid cut would force them to reduce long-term care services, nearly 2/3rds say they would consider closing Next week, Congressional Republicans are expected to release the details of their plan to cut $880B from the vital program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that Medicaid cuts would have on Washington state's highly-ranked long-term care system for seniors and people with disabilities.

"Medicaid pays for essential long-term care for over 100,000 seniors and people with disabilities in the State of Washington," said Sen. Cantwell. "As this report shows, cuts to Medicaid could force nursing homes to consider closing, strip away access to home care for seniors who want to age at home, and put dangerous stress on emergency services."

Report highlights include:

• An exclusive new survey of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 775 WA home care workers-94% of the 3,787 respondents said that their clients would likely need care at an ER if their home care stopped.
• New information on how crucial Medicaid funding is for our state's nursing homes-on average, WA nursing homes receive 52.3% of their revenue from Medicaid.
• An exclusive new survey of 68 WA nursing homes, which found that 67 of 68 would cut services if Medicaid were cut by 5% or more, and 65% would consider closing.
• Statewide data showing that 105,700 Washingtonians receive home-based long-term services and supports through Medicaid.

In the coming weeks, Congressional Republicans are expected to release details of their plan to cut $880 billion from Medicaid, the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Medicaid is a crucial support for WA's long-term care system, paying for home care workers that help seniors and people with disabilities stay in their homes. When these patients need a level of care that only a nursing home can provide, Medicaid can reimburse nursing homes for that care.

Based on surveys, interviews, and data from nursing homes, home care workers, emergency services providers, and area agencies on aging, the report details how Medicaid cuts would endanger a long-term health care system that is ranked #2 in the nation by AARP.

Cuts to Medicaid could devastate this system by creating a double-crisis: More people needing to go to a nursing home, combined with fewer nursing home beds. According to Lynn Kimball, Executive Director of Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington, "there are not enough nursing home beds in our region or across the state to respond to the number of people who would end up needing support if Medicaid no longer funded home care."

Medicaid cuts would affect all Washingtonians by putting a greater burden on emergency services. Says Pat Songer, COO and Chief of EMS at Cascade Medical in Leavenworth: "Stripping Medicaid coverage from individuals in long-term or home care settings forces EMS providers to become the safety net of last resort. Without access to routine care, vulnerable patients are left with no option but to call 911 for basic health needs-putting additional pressure on an already strained emergency medical system. This policy shift doesn't save money; it shifts cost and care to frontline responders, undermining patient outcomes and EMS sustainability, especially in rural communities."

The full snapshot report is available HERE.