FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 12, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) urges all members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to vote “NO” on proposals that will harm communities and cut healthcare and critical supports and services for people with disabilities. DREDF calls on all members of Congress to speak up and commit to ensuring Medicaid remains a program that provides constituents with reliable healthcare.
The proposed language released late Sunday night will be considered and marked up during the Tuesday, May 13th Energy and Commerce hearing. Make no mistake, the proposed language is cruel and would lead to at least $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid and 13.7 million people losing health coverage [1]. Services that are optional for states to provide, like home and community based services, will inevitably be reduced [2]. The proposed text targets low-income people, people with disabilities, immigrants, transgender youth, and Black and Brown communities.
The reconciliation proposals include:
- Burdensome “work requirements” or job loss penalties and increased eligibility determinations. States will bear the costly burden of implementing the complicated provisions and eligible people who need healthcare in order to work and live will lose access to care because they can’t keep up with the paperwork [3];
- Targeted cuts to funding for states and the District of Columbia that provide healthcare coverage for certain immigrants;
- Cuts to federal Medicaid funding for critical gender affirming care for minors and barriers to anyone receiving gender affirming care through health exchanges;
- Additional out-of-pocket costs for some adults who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance if they have incomes above the federal poverty level (FPL). FPL is currently only $15,650 a year for an individual or $32,150 for a household of 4 [4];
- Denial of future healthcare access to people living in states that have not taken advantage of additional Medicaid enrollments through the Affordable Care Act;
- Prohibition of funding to community centers that provide critical reproductive Millions of low-income and uninsured people, including in rural areas, will be unable to access preventive care and sexual and reproductive health care such as mammograms, cancer screening, pap smears, STI testing, contraceptive counseling, and prenatal care;
- Repealing of funding to address air pollution in schools which would disproportionately harm students with disabilities and chronic health conditions; and
- Prohibiting states from regulating artificial intelligence systems for 10 years, including guardrails that address unintended bias and discrimination.
DREDF believes that health care is a human right. No matter our disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship status, income, or ZIP code – people deserve to access the care and services that we need to live fulfilling, pleasurable, and joyful lives in our communities.
The efforts of courageous disabled advocates and Congressional members with a conscience helped defeat Republican proposals to gut Medicaid in 2017. We have fought against cuts to our health care and long-term supports and services before and won.
DREDF will continue to advocate alongside partners against the Republican proposed cuts to Medicaid and safety in our communities. We call on all members of Congress to make their voices heard in support of Medicaid and programs all people need to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Learn more and join in the fight to protect Medicaid on DREDF’s Protect Medicaid page.
[1] https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61392
[2] https://geigergibson.publichealth.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs4421/files/2025-04/Kaye%20HCBS%20Cuts%202010-2012%20%282%29%20%281%29.pdf
[3] https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2024/few-georgians-are-enrolled-states-medicaid-work-requirement-program
[4] https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/federal-poverty-guidelines/
###
Media Contact
Tina Pinedo
DREDF Communications Director
(510) 225-7726
media@dredf.org
About Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), based in Berkeley, California, is a national nonprofit law and policy center dedicated to advancing and protecting the civil and human rights of people with disabilities. Founded in 1979 by people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, DREDF remains board- and staff-led by members of the communities for whom we advocate. DREDF pursues its mission through education, advocacy, and law reform efforts, and is committed to increasing accessible and equally effective healthcare for people with disabilities. DREDF supports legal protections for all diversity and minority communities, including the intersectional interests of people within those communities who also have disabilities.