Washington, D.C. – Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week three of Medicaid Awareness Month, which focuses on efforts to protect Medicaid against relentless threats by Republican lawmakers. Medicaid provides high-quality care to 79 million Americans, but too many families remain locked out of Medicaid or are facing coverage loss because of partisan attacks on the program. Week three will also examine the consequences of ending the COVID-19 public health emergency, which could result in millions of people losing Medicaid coverage if states fail to act.
“Republicans just can’t quit their war on affordable health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Between failing to expand Medicaid and running on ACA repeal, GOP lawmakers are threatening coverage for millions of families across the country. They shamefully want to raise health care costs on working people and threaten access to vital care for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.”
Protect Our Care will continue to release fact sheets and host nationwide events with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, discuss what needs to be done to expand and strengthen the program, and raise awareness of the consequences of Republican threats.
Medicaid Awareness Month 2022 themed weeks:
- Week 1: Medicaid is Working! Week one focused on how Medicaid has improved the lives of millions even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Week 2: Close the Coverage Gap. Week two is bringing attention to the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap.
- Week 3: Protect Medicaid Coverage. Week three will focus on how millions of Americans face losing their Medicaid coverage coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends and how Republican officials across the country are waging a relentless war on Medicaid.
- Week 4: Medicaid & Health Equity. The final week will highlight how Medicaid is our most powerful tool in fighting for health equity.
Republicans across the country are waging a relentless war on Medicaid, blocking expansion in state houses and running for Congress with an agenda to repeal the Affordable Care Act, dismantle expansion and throw millions of Americans off their care. Nearly 79 million Americans receive their care through Medicaid and are vulnerable to these GOP attacks. The Republican war on Medicaid is a war on children, seniors, people with disabilities, rural Americans, those fighting the opioid crisis, our schools, and everyone else who benefits from Medicaid.