Medicaid Budget Cuts Could Result in Over 16,500 Preventable Deaths Annually

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine highlights alarming projections regarding potential cuts to Medicaid funding currently under consideration in Congress. These cuts could have dire consequences, including an estimated over 16,500 deaths each year that could be prevented with adequate medical care.

The research conducted by a team led by Adam Gaffney, MD, MPH, evaluates various proposed reductions to Medicaid that could collectively decrease federal Medicaid spending by at least $100 billion over the next decade. Key proposals include alterations to the Medicaid matching floor, cuts to the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion, the implementation of per capita caps, the introduction of work requirements, reductions in provider taxes, and the repeal of eligibility rules established under the Biden administration.

The analysis indicates that each of these proposed cuts could potentially lead to a significant rise in uninsured individuals, with estimates ranging from 600,000 to nearly 4 million. Additionally, the number of people forgoing necessary medical care could increase dramatically, affecting between 129,060 and 838,890 individuals annually.

Should the current House bill pass, projections suggest that 7.6 million more Americans would lack health insurance. This would also result in approximately 1.9 million individuals losing access to their personal physicians, 1.3 million forgoing essential medications, and 380,270 women missing routine mammograms. The cumulative effect of these changes could lead to a staggering 16,642 preventable deaths each year.

The authors of the study express serious concerns that these proposed budget cuts, while aimed at facilitating tax reductions, would disproportionately affect low-income Americans, stripping them of essential healthcare services and potentially resulting in thousands of unnecessary fatalities. They urge policymakers to carefully consider the health and financial ramifications of reducing Medicaid resources, especially in light of the benefits that such cuts would primarily confer to wealthier segments of the population.

For further details, please refer to the original study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.