Apparently Republicans aren’t in the business of protecting and caring for our nation’s children. Children with disabilities. Children of poverty. Their efforts toward erasing all things Obama have become so vengeful in nature that they are now willing to hurt innocent little persons who didn’t get to vote for the poverty they endure or the disabilities they live with. Republicans are putting the most vulnerable among us in harm’s way.
Shame on you, Republicans. Shame on you.
I thought I had finally reached a threshold for anger and disgust and fear when the tie-vote-by-the-Vice-President elected Secretary of Education squeezed her way into running our nation’s public schools. And only with the intent on destroying a hallmark of democracy. But then I learned of the Medicaid cuts and my mind is just reeling.
Close to 1,000 school leaders from 42 states detailed the educational and economic consequences of the proposed cut in Medicaid reimbursements, as outlined in the ACA repeal, in a recently released 11 page report entitled Cutting Medicaid: A Prescription to Hurt the Neediest Kids. The American Association of School Administrators’ findings are a must read and should be sent to every Republican in Congress.
Here is just a snippet of what you’ll find:
Two-thirds of respondents indicated they use Medicaid funds to pay salaries of health care professionals who provide services for students. If a 30 percent cut were to occur, many districts would have to furlough or lay off school personnel who are paid for, in part or mainly through Medicaid reimbursements. [School Nurses, School Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, mental health providers]
The loss of Medicaid funding could result in new local tax levies or requests for higher taxes to subsidize special education programs and health services for students in poverty. [asking citizens to foot the bill]
Nearly half of respondents said they use Medicaid funds to expand health-related services for students. [healthcare screenings, vision and hearing screening, mental health services, dental check-ups, physical therapy, diabetes and asthma management, wheelchairs and hearing aids]
What this means is that Trumpcare | Ryancare | Whatevercare would dramatically change Medicaid’s financing structure and impact the ability of students with disabilities and students in poverty to receive many critical health services that enable them to learn.
There’s more ...
Due to the underfunding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, school districts rely on Medicaid reimbursements to ensure students with disabilities have access to the supports and services they need to access a Free and Appropriate Public Education. Under this proposal, states would no longer have to consider schools to be eligible Medicaid providers, which would mean that districts would have the same obligation to provide services for students with disabilities under IDEA, but no Medicaid dollars.
Schools would be unable to provide Early Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment to students, which would mean screenings and treatment that take place in school settings would have to be moved to physician offices, where some families may not visit regularly, or to hospital emergency rooms where costs are much higher.
In a nutshell ...
Few health services.
Cuts to general education.
Higher taxes.
Job loss.
Fewer critical supplies.
Fewer mental health supports.
Noncompliance with IDEA.
Loss of early interventions.
WHO does this to children?
Children with DISABILITIES?
Children of POVERTY?
Shame on you, Republicans.
Shame on you.