Critics warn Republican budget would worsen health disparities for Black mothers
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Critics warn Republican budget would worsen health disparities for Black mothers
Connecticut Republicans are trying to get a budget to President Donald Trump. Critics warn their proposal could fall especially hard on Black moms. Black women are already three times more likely than white women to die during childbirth. A nonpartisan analyst has estimated that the budget approved by Congress earlier this month could result in at least 7.8 million people losing Medicaid coverage. But Republicans have said that’s the result of stricter guidelines, including work requirements and stipulating people need to re-apply every six months. They have accused Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), who joined Clarke at the press conference, of playing politics. The Senate could vote on the budget before next week.
They’re particularly concerned about proposed Medicaid cuts, saying that could worsen a disparity where Black women are already three times more likely than white women to die during childbirth.
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“This should be a human right and if we’re taking that away with a system that is already designed to fail individuals, we’ll see progression in deaths,” Health Equity Solutions Executive Director Ayesha Clarke said during a press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
A nonpartisan analyst has estimated that the budget approved by Congress earlier this month could result in at least 7.8 million people losing Medicaid coverage. And some Senate Republicans have been calling for deeper spending cuts.
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Republicans have said that’s the result of stricter guidelines, including work requirements and stipulating people need to re-apply every six months.
“We’re going to go after the people who are bastardizing the system, who are using it to their advantage, who are gaming it for their own personal gain and are taking money away from people who really need it,” Connecticut Republican Chairman Ben Proto said.
He also said the goal of the budget is to reduce spending and cut taxes. He accused Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), who joined Clarke at the press conference, of playing politics.
“At the end of the day, you should be doing what’s best for the people in your state and this budget is a good budget for the people in the state of Connecticut,” Proto said.
Blumenthal said many people on Medicaid already work, but beneficiaries could be kicked if they struggle to provide proof in a timely manner.
He warned this could be especially problematic for Black women, especially since CDC data shows 64% rely on Medicaid insurance to help pay for childbirth.
“These kinds of cuts are really mean-spirited and they are stupid because in the long-run, costs of healthcare needs are higher if needs are avoided,” he said.
Clarke said women may hold off on getting care during and after their pregnancy, resulting in worse health outcomes for them and their children.
She also worried that could lead to more deaths, increasing the disparity. She said Black women face discrimination in healthcare, noting her own experience.
“I remember when I went in to go and deliver my child,” she said. “They thought I was not telling the truth. They were like ‘there’s no way you’re in active labor.’”
Blumenthal said the Senate could vote on the budget before next week. Republicans have said they hope to get a budget to President Donald Trump before July 4.
If the Senate does make changes, Republicans would need to reconcile the versions that cleared the two chambers.