Eric Benson
As Congress works through the budget, New Jersey Assembly members Jeff Van Drew, Chris Smith, and Tom Keene are reportedly willing to undermine Medicaid and hurt families in favor of supporting the wealthiest individuals.
In Washington, Republican leaders are hastily finalizing a federal budget that includes substantial cuts to Medicaid to finance tax incentives for billionaires. Disturbingly, all New Jersey House Republicans are backing these reductions.
What’s at stake? With families already grappling to cover essentials like housing, food, and healthcare, cuts to Medicaid jeopardize the well-being of 1.8 million residents in New Jersey. Medicaid funds 60% of nursing home care in the state and provides significant support to hospitals. These cuts not only affect individuals but also escalate costs for everyone and threaten the viability of hospitals.
Moreover, the national deficit is already a pressing issue. Over $2.1 billion has been shifted, thereby increasing Medicaid responsibilities for the state, which only exacerbates the situation.
What residents of New Jersey should know:
In this tightly divided Congress, the votes from Van Drew, Smith, and Keene could greatly influence the budget outcome. They have the ability—and duty—to advocate for New Jersey, yet instead, they are endorsing measures that may lead to closed hospitals and heightened state and local taxes.
Let’s examine this further:
- Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd Dist.): One statement contradicts another regarding Medicaid cuts
Recently, Van Drew reversed his opposition to Medicaid cuts, which will substantially lower federal spending on Medicaid per individual. As a result, New Jersey will be compelled to either cut Medicaid services or increase local taxes. These caps apply uniquely to states like New Jersey that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving states that didn’t expand Medicaid unaffected. This isn’t just a budget tweak; it’s a direct assault on families and the already strained state budget.
- Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.): Hypocrisy endangering vulnerable individuals
Despite having previously opposed Medicaid cuts in 2017, this year, Smith has turned his back on those in dire need of assistance. A significant portion of nursing home care in the state is funded by Medicaid, especially in poorer or rural areas. He remains silent on a particularly harmful proposed cut that could jeopardize support for around 700,000 low-income people in New Jersey.
- Rep. Tom Keene Jr. (R-7th Dist.): Defending cuts with shaky facts
Serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which makes key decisions about Medicaid, Keene chooses to support the cuts while propagating misleading narratives about eliminating “waste and fraud.” However, research indicates that simply cutting funds won’t resolve fraudulent activities, as no state can handle a 27% reduction in federal Medicaid matching payments without significantly impacting services.
- These cuts are choices, not necessities
Congress doesn’t need to shrink Medicaid benefits. These reductions are not a solution to balance the federal budget but are designed to pay for tax cuts benefiting billionaires.
To be clear: Voting to cut Medicaid is a choice. The decisions made by Van Drew, Smith, and Keene in favor of billionaires over working families reflect misplaced priorities.
New Jersey deserves better.
Reaching out to your representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives or the Senate is crucial for influencing policy. To express your views, you can find your representatives and senators through: House Website and Senate Website.
