{"id":128472,"date":"2025-03-21T10:46:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T15:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=128472"},"modified":"2025-03-21T11:00:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T16:00:03","slug":"cronkite-news-republicans-in-congress-push-for-health-care-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/03\/21\/cronkite-news-republicans-in-congress-push-for-health-care-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Republicans in Congress push for health care cuts"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Medicaid<\/a>
A crowd waits to hear from and speak with Arizona Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego at a town hall discussing Republican-proposed Medicaid cuts at the Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health Cholla Health Center on Monday, March 17, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Photo by Alexis Heichman \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n
Uncertainty looms for those who depend on Medicaid in Arizona<\/div>\r\n
Friday, March 21, 2025<\/div>\r\n
By Brian Petersheim Jr.<\/div>\r\n
Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n
cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nSCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Potential cuts to Medicare and Medicaid are causing uncertainty for Arizonans, some of whom expressed concerns during a town hall hosted by Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego on Monday.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cThe impact is now on a micro level. We feel it now,\u201d Phoenix resident Quianna Brown told the senators.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nBrown and her husband, Joe Wiskur, consider themselves \u201cregular, blue collar, everyday Americans.\u201d They were seeking answers about the health care for their adopted 10-year-old daughter, who has behavioral issues and diabetes.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cOur child has needs that are greater than some other children, and to meet those needs, she requires a lot of medical coverage,\u201d Brown said.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe town hall came just weeks after the House of Representatives approved a budget that could cut at least $880 billion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cIn that resolution, it said that they needed to find $850 billion to cut from this one committee. In that one committee, they basically control two big chunks of money: Medicare and Medicaid,\u201d Gallego told the attendees.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \"Quianna<\/a>

Phoenix residents Quianna Brown, left, and Joe Wiskur speak to Arizona Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego about how Republican-proposed Medicaid cuts will negatively impact their children\u2019s health care at a town hall at the Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health Cholla Health Center on Monday, March 17, 2025, in Scottsdale. Photo by Alexis Heichman \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nBut what exactly these cuts will mean remains unclear.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cHow do we prepare for what may come down the hatch? We\u2019re trying to shield ourselves before we\u2019re wounded,\u201d Brown told the senators.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThrough the state\u2019s post-adoption assistance, Brown\u2019s daughter is covered by AHCCCS, which is Arizona\u2019s Medicaid program.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cWhen you adopt a child, you promise that child,\u201d Brown said. \u201cTo be in a situation where you\u2019re afraid that you can\u2019t keep it, that\u2019s a real powerless feeling.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nPresident Donald Trump denied on multiple occasions that he would touch Medicare or Medicaid other than removing undocumented immigrants from the system, but the new budget suggests otherwise. Arizona\u2019s GOP delegation aligned with Trump\u2019s fiscal agenda.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cStopping waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid \u2026 strengthens Medicaid,\u201d Rep. Eli Crane said in a post on the social platform X<\/a>, formerly known as Twitter, on February 27.\r\n

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A post shared by Juan Ciscomani (@repjuanciscomani)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n