An Iowa Woman Shares Concerns About Medicaid Changes
Last week, an Iowa woman was invited to the Capitol to testify regarding the potential effects of recent federal changes to Medicaid. Jonah Higgins-Freeze expressed her worries, particularly for her two sons, Reuben, 19, and Henry, 17, who have faced health challenges since birth and depend heavily on Medicaid.
While the alterations proposed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act mainly involve eligibility criteria that don’t directly impact her children, some aspects could affect state-level Medicaid funding. This has left some families feeling uncertain. “We do not yet know how the Medicaid cuts will specifically impact our families,” Higgins-Freeze explained. “There are just a lot of unknowns.”
She elaborated on her concerns for her sons, noting that her oldest resides in a group home that receives partial funding from Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security. “Medicaid covered the respite care for my son when he was at home,” Higgins-Freeze recalled. “The respite worker took him to a baseball game with his grandparents. They helped with his medication and meals, and it allowed us to focus on our other son. Honestly, sometimes they could just sit and relax without the constant worry about meds or feeding.”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the OBBBA could result in a $1.02 trillion decrease in federal spending on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program benefits. Following this, KCCI reached out to Iowa’s Congressional delegation for their thoughts.
Republican Rep. Zach Nunn spoke to KCCI, emphasizing his belief that “anyone with a disability will be protected under this bill. Any mother will be protected under this bill.” He stressed the importance of safeguarding older adults, which he feels is crucial for Iowa residents who rely on such assistance programs.
Nunn also clarified that the intention behind the Medicaid law is to keep those not legally in the country from accessing resources, while also tackling waste and fraud in the system, estimated at about $5 trillion. “We want to ensure that people who are capable of working do so,” he said. “It’s about preventing issues for families and making sure the system remains sustainable.”
