Mount Pleasant resident Karen Green and her partner adopted their daughter, Allison, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was an infant. Alison, now 34 years old, has gone through several surgeries and health procedures during her life.
For years, her family has been able to get the proper care needed to help her through Medicaid, but Green fears that her daughter’s coverage may be at risk.
On Tuesday, Green and other protesters gathered in downtown Mount Pleasant to express their frustration with a budget resolution passed by House Republicans last month. The resolution requires the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, to slash at least $880 billion over the next decade.
“She gets a lot of her equipment, her supplies, everything is paid for through Medicaid,” Green said. “If we lose that money, it’s going to be a bad thing for our family.”
Protestors also shared concerns about cuts to the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The House Agriculture Committee, which has jurisdiction over SNAP, would have to cut $230 billion by 2034, according to the resolution.
Green is a member of Indivisible, a nonprofit organization that protests GOP agendas and fights for progressive policies, according to its website. Leaders of the Central Michigan chapter of Indivisible have been planning local events to protest many of the policies from the Trump administration.
“We want to uphold the constitution, safeguard democracy and the rule of law,” said Alice Ciccu, a leader for ICM. “Today, we are focused on the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Those benefits go to the most vulnerable people we have in our community.”
Mount Pleasant resident Stacie Keipinger was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type three in 1999 and relies on a wheelchair for mobility.
She said Medicaid has covered thousands of dollars for her wheelchair and medications. She credits her ability to earn degrees from Delta College and Central Michigan University to the program’s assistance with her medical costs.
“Medicaid covers the cost of my electric wheelchair once every five years, which can easily be over $10,000 to $20,000 — a price I could never afford on my own,” Keipinger told the crowd of protestors. “This chair allowed me to attend Delta College and two universities to discover my full potential.”
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2.6 million Michiganders rely on Medicaid. The Detroit Free Press found that programs like Medicaid account for around 35% of the state's $81.4 billion budget.
The budget resolution must be adopted by the U.S. Senate, and both Houses of Congress must write legislation before it affects Americans.
Ciccu said that citizens should raise their concerns to local representatives if they hope for change.
“These times are very different, and we need to stand up now,” Ciccu said. “Make your voice heard. … Both your senators and your congress people can be called in five minutes and just let them know how you are feeling."
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia) represents Michigan's 2nd congressional district, which includes Mount Pleasant, Big Rapids, Manistee and Ludington.
He sits on the House Committee on Appropriations and voted in favor of the budget resolution. In an emailed statement to WCMU, he wrote the "spending habits in Washington, D.C. are not sustainable," referencing $36 trillion in federal debt.
"The budget resolution passed by Congress last month directs Committees to reduce spending, while preventing tax increases for the middle class and protecting programs like Medicaid and SNAP for the people who need it most," Moolenaar said. "This can be done while still addressing waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government."
