Congressman Neal visits nonprofit affected by proposed Medicaid cuts
EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Congressman Richard Neal visited one nonprofit organization on Tuesday that would lose funding through proposed Medicaid cuts.
Medicaid is only one of the programs that would lose massive funding, but it's one residents of Riverside Industries in Easthampton depend on. The House recently passed a new budget that would cut $880 billion from the Energy and Commerce Committee over the next ten years.
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Medicaid is expected to receive the bulk of these cuts, depleting organizations like Riverside Industries of a large portion of funds. Congressman Neal told 22News about the reliance on Medicaid in Massachusetts.
'Fixty-six cents on the Medicaid dollar is for long-term care,' Neal said. 'This is the reality of Medicaid and Medicare. It's well beyond advocacy. This is how people live.'
This is part of a $2 trillion spending cut that also involves the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education. The budget also allows for a $4.5 trillion increase in tax breaks.Medicaid provides care for 72 million people across the country.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
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