Congressman Carter Slams Republicans for Cutting Louisianans Medicaid Benefits

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) will continue to be in a 36-hour-long Energy and Commerce Committee business meeting debating the Republican partisan budget reconciliation bill. Under this plan, Republicans will impose $715 billion in Medicaid cuts.

Congressman Carter invited Katie, Coye, Connor, Cooper Corkern from Louisiana to join him as an example of a local family who will be devastated by these Medicaid cuts. Connor John Corkern was born 18 years ago with a congenital brain malformation. His parents were shocked at the news of his diagnosis as his mother Katie's pregnancy was uneventful. At just six weeks old, Connor's parents were told that his brain malformation was so significant that he would need one on one care for all aspects of his life. He was blind, developmentally delayed, had poor muscle tone, was fed through a tube, had numerous types of seizures every day, had an underdeveloped pituitary gland, needed hormone replacement medications, had an immune deficiency disorder, and was nonverbal. Coye, a Louisiana law enforcement officer, and Katie, a Special Education Teacher, spent much of their time with Connor at Children's Hospital in New Orleans as their son's seizures and illnesses turned into life-threatening events.

After nearly a decade of being on a waiting list for a home and community-based disability waiver, Connor was given an emergency New Opportunities Waiver (NOW) in 2015. The NOW waiver afforded them Medicaid despite their income, and with that came help in caring for Connor at his own home with his parents and two brothers. Connor's skilled nurse has been with him for 10 years now. She cares for Connor while his parents work. Connor has also had wonderful direct support professionals who assist him in the evenings while his parents bring his brothers to and from extracurricular activities and events.

When Connor was first diagnosed, his physicians warned his parents that his life was extremely fragile and there was a high chance he would not survive childhood. On May 7, 2025, Connor graduated from high school with his peers.

"We're here because the Republican Majority is attempting to do exactly what they promised: rip people's health care away from them," said Rep. Carter. "Under this plan, Republicans will impose drastic Medicaid cuts-which will result in millions of Americans losing their health care, destroy our hospitals and close the nursing homes our parents and grandparents rely upon while blowing-up states' budgets, including Louisiana's. These cuts will put the elderly, the disabled, and our children at risk - all so they can give trillions of dollars in tax breaks to billionaires and large corporations. Simply put- this is cruel, inhumane and wrong.

"Connor's story is an example of why Medicaid is so important for countless families across the United States. Republicans need to know that these cuts are not just numbers on paper, these are decisions with real life consequences that will hurt our people. Medicaid plays a crucial role in providing life-saving care to millions of Americans and Louisianians, and it's essential that we continue to support and strengthen this program - not make it harder for people to access care. Let's make it easier for children, like Connor, and their families to access these critical services made possible through Medicaid, not harder. Connor's story could be any family's story. The story of our family should not be written in a genetic lottery. Every family is precious."

View photos and video from today's meeting here.

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