Community Voices: We Need to Elect Candidates Who Will Protect, Not Slash, Medicaid and Medi-Cal

In California, we know that high-quality and affordable health care is a right, not a privilege, for everyone in America. Yet Republicans from Washington, D.C., to Sacramento are waging war on our health care by seeking broad and devastating cuts to Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid) that would raise costs and rip away coverage from millions of Americans.

In California, Medi-Cal helps families stay healthy and financially secure. Medi-Cal and Medicaid expansion have kept hospitals open and ensured that residents have places to get the care they need.

Around 85 million people, including 15.3 million in California, receive care through Medicaid. Medicaid enrollment has increased by 52 percent nationally since 2013, and the program has proven time and time again to save lives, keep rural hospitals open, broaden access to needed care and help reduce health disparities.

However, this vital program remains under attack by Republicans. In March, the Republican Study Committee proposed cutting Medicaid spending by trillions of dollars over the next decade. Republicans like Rep. Ken Calvert support efforts to radically restructure Medicaid and impose work-reporting requirements designed to throw people off their coverage. Since two-thirds of families who count on Medicaid include people who already work, and the vast majority of others are caregivers, students or people physically unable to work, this Republican move is clearly about reducing Medicaid enrollment, not about promoting work. Rep. Calvert has repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would end Medicaid expansion and leave millions without health care coverage.

At the same time, GOP leaders in 10 states have also failed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, blocking 1.6 million people from affordable coverage. During his presidency, Donald Trump allowed states to kick people off Medicaid through work-reporting requirements. Now he has promised to follow through on repealing the Affordable Care Act, which would end Medicaid expansion and throw the entire health care system into chaos.

These drastic Republican measures to slash funding and impose onerous paperwork requirements would rip coverage from tens of millions of children, seniors and people with disabilities. Millions of Californians could lose access to their doctor, and would be without coverage if they got sick or injured.

When people have access to health insurance, they are able to receive the care they need and are likely to have better health outcomes. President Biden and Democrats in Congress have been champions for lowering health care costs, helping more people become insured, and improving care for the American people. Since taking office, President Biden has defended Medicaid from GOP attacks, offered incentives to states to expand Medicaid, reduced the paperwork required to maintain Medicaid coverage, expanded coverage for postpartum women, and lowered premiums for people who buy insurance on their own, leading to a record 21 million Americans enrolling.

In California, we face serious health care challenges. Kicking hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of Californians off of their health insurance is the wrong approach. We need investments in our mental-health care infrastructure and services, better support for those who need addiction treatment, and more access to care.

California is the fifth-largest economy in the world; no one should have to risk their lives because they can’t afford the care they need. Democrats want to build on the progress of the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act by making affordable health care a reality for everyone, while Republicans want to go backward. The contrast between these two visions could not be clearer. Let’s continue to fight to expand access to coverage, lower health care costs, and protect Medicaid for years to come.

Christy Holstege is a member of the Palm Springs City Council and is a candidate for state Assembly District 47.