Norton, Pelosi Lead Members Tour of Children’s National to Highlight Trumpcare’s Deep and Cruel Cuts to Medicaid
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today led a group of Members of Congress on a tour of Children's National Medical Center, meeting with patients and their parents, to point up the dramatic effect Trumpcare cuts to Medicaid will have on children with special needs and disabilities. Norton said, "The list of casualties from Trumpcare is long and cruel, but the Medicaid cuts for health care for children with special needs and with severe disabilities show this bill has neither soul nor heart."
Norton also released a report prepared by the Democratic staff of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), on which she serves, showing the devastating effects that Trumpcare would have on District of Columbia children with severe disabilities and special health care needs who rely on programs like Medicaid. The report shows that more than 61 percent of children with special health care needs in D.C. rely wholly or partially on public insurance programs such as Medicaid.
Norton full remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the press availability following the tour are below.
"Medicaid cuts are the centerpiece of the Republican Trumpcare bill, because it robs health care for the poor to pay for tax cuts for the rich. The list of casualties from Trumpcare is long and cruel, but the Medicaid cuts for health care for children with special needs and with severe disabilities show this bill has neither soul nor heart.
"For the first time, this bill takes Medicaid from an entitlement for those who need health care to a law like most others, with limits on what can be spent, no matter the need. This means some special needs children and children with severe disabilities won't get the care they need. Along with these children, the cuts in Medicaid ensure children's hospitals that serve them will be irretrievably harmed. The Republican bill does mutual harm to children's hospitals across the country and, most importantly, to children most in need of children's hospitals.
"Children's National serves children in D.C. and throughout our region, and other children's hospitals serve kids in need throughout the country. We must defeat the Senate Trumpcare bill, which will leave untold numbers of children without care."