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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Opinion: Medicaid cuts will harm children and education in Utah
Federal and local funding cuts to the Medicaid program, as well as unnecessary eligibility requirements, could cost thousands of Utahns access to continual and preventative healthcare. On the surface, it appears that Medicaid is sometimes viewed as a line item on the budget and a candidate for cutting back to save pennies and offset tax cuts. However, I caution our federal and local representatives to not underestimate the benefits of our social programs, like Medicaid, beyond their budgetary justification. My mother enrolled in Medicaid for her three children. When I fell sick, she could afford to take me to a doctor and get the medication I needed. Because she had access to the program, I was able to return to school and I was ready to continue my educational success. Without this public health service, it is likely I would have missed more days of school, and my mind would have often been foggy, interfering with my concentration in school. No school resource, excellent teacher, textbook or private school voucher could have overcome these health-related speed bumps. Not only did having access to healthcare through Medicaid benefit my health, but it also facilitated my academic achievement. My experience with Medicaid is not unique. Any parent knows that children frequently get sick. In addition, the proportion of children enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) range from 8% to 43% across school districts in Utah including 27% and 23% of students within Granite and Salt Lake City School Districts, respectively, and 43% within San Juan School District. While these numbers sound like a health-related budgetary challenge, they also play a significant role in our educational system. Although logical on face value, substantial data show that sick children underperform and miss more days of school compared to their peers. For example, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that, in 2022, nearly 6% of students nationwide missed 15 or more days of school because of health-related issues; among those students, around 29% had fair to poor health compared to only 5% among healthy students. Additionally, acute and chronic health conditions, as well as risky health behaviors, have been associated with lower school grades. Children have a greater opportunity at succeeding in school when they can take care of their health. Considering that reading comprehension has dipped, on average, and about 20% of Utah students are considered chronically absent, it is crucial for our decision makers to consider all of the holistic factors that contribute to or impede educational success. So why is public health insurance important for education? In 2023, over 50,000 Utahns under 19 years old were uninsured, a figure that will likely increase with cuts to Medicaid. Children without insurance coverage are less likely to receive preventative care and have access to prescriptions compared to their insured peers, even when insured for part of the year. In fact, prior expansions of Medicaid were associated with increases in healthcare utilization and decreases in preventable hospital visits and mortality, as well as increased reading test scores, greater rates of graduating high school and upward economic mobility. Restricting eligibility to Medicaid will have negative consequences, not only on children's health, but also on their educational journey, undermining our state's investment in public education. The relation between Medicaid eligibility, educational attainment, future health and economic success creates an inter-related cycle; one that can lead to more successful and healthier Utah families. In other words, families eligible for Medicaid can care for their children's health needs and, in turn, these children will have a greater chance of graduating from high school, having higher earnings and being more productive, therefore potentially offsetting the costs of the program. In Utah, we spend billions of dollars on public education. We should be focused on strengthening all social services that get the most out of our constitutional investment. Medicaid is one of those programs. I encourage our federal and state representatives to see Medicaid as more than a budgetary line item. Instead, view it as an investment in Utah's education and an investment in our future.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Well, we all are going to die': Sen. Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at heated Iowa town hall
PARKERSBURG — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst fielded angry questions on Medicaid cuts, President Donald Trump's tax cut proposal and DOGE at a town hall on May 30, at one point telling a member of the crowd concerned about Medicaid cuts that "well, we all are going to die." While portions of the hourlong event proceeded respectfully and Ernst, a Republican, answered several questions without interruption, at other points members of the roughly 100-member crowd repeatedly interrupted her answers, booing her and calling her a liar. As Ernst was answering a question about Medicaid eligibility in Trump's tax cut bill, she was interrupted by a woman in the crowd, who shouted, "people will die!" "People are not — well, we all are going to die," Ernst said, prompting shouting from the audience. "For heaven's sakes, folks." Ernst said the goal of the bill is to make sure that people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits don't receive them. "What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable," Ernst said. "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect. We will protect them. Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa. If you don't want to listen, that's fine." Talking to reporters later in the day at a Google data center construction site, Ernst said the now-viral reaction to her comments is "hysteria that's out there coming from the left." "Two things are true: death and taxes," she said. "And what I'm trying to do is make sure that we are extending tax benefits for hardworking Iowans, and that we're preserving Medicaid for those that meet eligibility requirements. We don't need to see illegal immigrants receiving benefits that should be going to Iowans." Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federally funded benefits such as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program, and only some lawfully present immigrants qualify subject to eligibility restrictions, according to KFF, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy. However, 14 states, mostly led by Democrats, use state funding to offer health care to low-income immigrants, either adults or children, regardless of their legal status. The tax bill would cut federal reimbursement rates for the Medicaid expansion programs in those states. Back at the morning's town hall, Karen Franczyk, a retired health care provider from Cedar Falls, also asked Ernst a question about potential cuts to Medicaid in Trump's tax cut bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will reduce federal Medicaid spending by $723 billion over a decade and could increase the number of uninsured people by 7.6 million in that time. "President Trump's big, beautiful bill will cut billions from Medicaid, which is the main source of revenue for rural hospitals and community health centers that serve the most vulnerable Iowans," Franczyk said. "If you vote for this bill, what will you do to ensure that all Iowans can not only continue to receive care but have access to resources that make them healthier?" Ernst began her answer by telling Franczyk, "thank you for being a health care provider. I really appreciate that." "We know the House has their provisions for Medicaid, and I actually agree with most of their provisions. Everyone says that Medicaid is being cut, people are going to see their benefits cut. That's not true," Ernst said, as members of the crowd began shouting "liar." Ernst is serving her second term in the U.S. Senate. She told reporters last year that she intends to run for reelection in 2026 but has not yet launched a formal campaign. Randall Harlow of Cedar Falls asked about a one-sentence provision in the version of the tax bill that passed the House that would make it harder for federal judges to enforce contempt orders in cases where the federal government defies court decisions. "My question for you today is, will you pledge to us, your constituents who you serve, that you will not vote for this bill or any other bill that contains this poisonous provision?" he said. Ernst said many of the provisions in the House bill will not make it into the Senate bill because the Senate has different rules than the House, which only allow provisions related to spending to be passed with a simple majority vote, not unrelated policy language. "I don't see any argument that could ever be made that this affects mandatory spending or revenues," she said. "I just don't see that. I don't see it getting into the Senate bill." Ernst said the nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian is the one who will make a decision about which provisions are eligible to be included in the bill. "I will support the parliamentarian," she said. When members of the crowd shouted at her to answer the question, Ernst said. "I did. It will not be in the Senate bill." "I could support the Senate bill, and I may not," she said. "I don't know what's in the Senate bill yet." Harrison Cass Jr., a former Navy officer and a retired superintendent who lives in Waterloo, thanked Ernst for coming to speak to the crowd in person. He prefaced his question by saying, "clearly, we have a president who is destroying the federal government." He said Trump has "taken over the government" and "in four months he's made it into a dictatorship." "The worst thing is the Senate and the House of Representatives have been rendered useless," he said. "And you folks have let it happen. You've sat back and done nothing." "My question is this," Cass added. "Are you afraid of Trump? Are you corrupt like Trump? Or are you just at the point you don't care anymore and that's why you don't do it?" Ernst began her answer by thanking Cass for his service. She said she doesn't believe the federal government is being destroyed. Instead, she said the Department of Government Efficiency set up by Trump is identifying areas that the federal government has expanded into that it shouldn't be responsible for. "The things that were not spelled out into the Constitution were delegated under the 10th Amendment to the states," she said. "So, what we are seeing in federal government is the right-sizing of the federal government and allowing the states to take up the role that our forefathers intended." "It's chaos!" a woman in the crowd shouted. "It may be chaos to you," Ernst replied, "but we do have to get back to a semblance of what our country was founded for." Nathan Sage, a Democrat seeking his party's nomination for U.S. Senate in 2026, called Ernst's remarks "a new low," saying "she's not even trying to hide her contempt for us." "This is simple: these cuts will kill people," Sage said in a statement. "But Joni Ernst can't even pretend to care. She shrugged it off. It's disgusting and vile. Iowa deserves so much better. She needs to go." State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, who is considering running for U.S. Senate in 2026, said in a statement "it is of course true that we are all going to die, but our senators shouldn't be the ones killing us." "Joni Ernst has gone from 'make 'em squeal' to 'we're all going to die,'" Wahls said in a statement. "Washington politicians are screwing Iowans and we need leaders who will fight for us, not gut health care funding that 700,000 Iowans rely on." State Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, who says he is "seriously considering" running for Senate, posted a video to Instagram saying Ernst's town hall "is the perfect example of why I want to do this." "We all don't have to die so billionaires can have a bigger tax break," Scholten said. "That is crazy. … I talk to folks constantly who may not necessarily agree with all I do in politics, but a lot of these folks are pro-life. And pro-life people are for Medicaid, are for SNAP. That's what's preached in the Bible about taking care of the poor." State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, who has also said he is considering running for Senate, shared a video of Ernst's comments on Facebook. "One doesn't have to operate with great malice to do great harm," he wrote. "The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient." Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann accused Democrats and the media of twisting Ernst's words. "Anyone who knows Joni — especially the folks who heard her answer tough questions for over an hour — knows Dems and the mainstream media are purposefully replacing her core message because it helps their fear-mongering," Kaufmann said in a statement. "But the fact is, without Senator Ernst taking a strong stand to protect the integrity of programs like Medicaid, Iowans would be worse off." Marissa Payne contributed to this report. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This story was updated to add more information. This story was updated to add a gallery. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Sen. Joni Ernst fields angry questions on Medicaid cuts at town hall
USA Today
a day ago
- Politics
- USA Today
'Well, we all are going to die': Sen. Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at heated Iowa town hall
'Well, we all are going to die': Sen. Ernst defends Medicaid cuts at heated Iowa town hall Show Caption Hide Caption Sen. Joni Ernst at Iowa town hall: 'Well, we all are going to die' Sen. Joni Ernst defended cuts to Medicaid at an Iowa town hall May 30, 2025, as an angry crowd confronts her. Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa fielded angry questions about Medicaid cuts and President Donald Trump's tax cut bill at a town hall in Parkersburg. At one point, a woman shouted "people will die!" Ernst responded by saying, "people are not — well, we all are going to die." "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid we will protect," Ernst said. "We will protect them. Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa." PARKERSBURG — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst fielded angry questions on Medicaid cuts, President Donald Trump's tax cut proposal and DOGE at a town hall on May 30, at one point telling a member of the crowd concerned about Medicaid cuts that "well, we all are going to die." While portions of the hourlong event proceeded respectfully and Ernst, a Republican, answered several questions without interruption, at other points members of the roughly 100-member crowd repeatedly interrupted her answers, booing her and calling her a liar. As Ernst was answering a question about Medicaid eligibility in Trump's tax cut bill, she was interrupted by a woman in the crowd, who shouted, "people will die!" "People are not — well, we all are going to die," Ernst said, prompting shouting from the audience. "For heaven's sakes, folks." Ernst said the goal of the bill is to make sure that people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits don't receive them. "What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable," Ernst said. "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect. We will protect them. Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa. If you don't want to listen, that's fine." Joni Ernst dismisses 'hysteria' coming from 'the left' Talking to reporters later in the day at a Google data center construction site, Ernst said the now-viral reaction to her comments is "hysteria that's out there coming from the left." "Two things are true: death and taxes," she said. "And what I'm trying to do is make sure that we are extending tax benefits for hardworking Iowans, and that we're preserving Medicaid for those that meet eligibility requirements. We don't need to see illegal immigrants receiving benefits that should be going to Iowans." Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federally funded benefits such as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program, and only some lawfully present immigrants qualify subject to eligibility restrictions, according to KFF, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy. However, 14 states, mostly led by Democrats, use state funding to offer health care to low-income immigrants, either adults or children, regardless of their legal status. The tax bill would cut federal reimbursement rates for the Medicaid expansion programs in those states. Back at the morning's town hall, Karen Franczyk, a retired health care provider from Cedar Falls, also asked Ernst a question about potential cuts to Medicaid in Trump's tax cut bill. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will reduce federal Medicaid spending by $723 billion over a decade and could increase the number of uninsured people by 7.6 million in that time. "President Trump's big, beautiful bill will cut billions from Medicaid, which is the main source of revenue for rural hospitals and community health centers that serve the most vulnerable Iowans," Franczyk said. "If you vote for this bill, what will you do to ensure that all Iowans can not only continue to receive care but have access to resources that make them healthier?" Ernst began her answer by telling Franczyk, "thank you for being a health care provider. I really appreciate that." "We know the House has their provisions for Medicaid, and I actually agree with most of their provisions. Everyone says that Medicaid is being cut, people are going to see their benefits cut. That's not true," Ernst said, as members of the crowd began shouting "liar." Ernst is serving her second term in the U.S. Senate. She told reporters last year that she intends to run for reelection in 2026 but has not yet launched a formal campaign. 'It's chaos!' Audience criticizes DOGE cuts, policies in Trump's tax bill Randall Harlow of Cedar Falls asked about a one-sentence provision in the version of the tax bill that passed the House that would make it harder for federal judges to enforce contempt orders in cases where the federal government defies court decisions. "My question for you today is, will you pledge to us, your constituents who you serve, that you will not vote for this bill or any other bill that contains this poisonous provision?" he said. Ernst said many of the provisions in the House bill will not make it into the Senate bill because the Senate has different rules than the House, which only allow provisions related to spending to be passed with a simple majority vote, not unrelated policy language. "I don't see any argument that could ever be made that this affects mandatory spending or revenues," she said. "I just don't see that. I don't see it getting into the Senate bill." Ernst said the nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian is the one who will make a decision about which provisions are eligible to be included in the bill. "I will support the parliamentarian," she said. When members of the crowd shouted at her to answer the question, Ernst said. "I did. It will not be in the Senate bill." "I could support the Senate bill, and I may not," she said. "I don't know what's in the Senate bill yet." Harrison Cass Jr., a former Navy officer and a retired superintendent who lives in Waterloo, thanked Ernst for coming to speak to the crowd in person. He prefaced his question by saying, "clearly, we have a president who is destroying the federal government." He said Trump has "taken over the government" and "in four months he's made it into a dictatorship." "The worst thing is the Senate and the House of Representatives have been rendered useless," he said. "And you folks have let it happen. You've sat back and done nothing." "My question is this," Cass added. "Are you afraid of Trump? Are you corrupt like Trump? Or are you just at the point you don't care anymore and that's why you don't do it?" Ernst began her answer by thanking Cass for his service. She said she doesn't believe the federal government is being destroyed. Instead, she said the Department of Government Efficiency set up by Trump is identifying areas that the federal government has expanded into that it shouldn't be responsible for. "The things that were not spelled out into the Constitution were delegated under the 10th Amendment to the states," she said. "So, what we are seeing in federal government is the right-sizing of the federal government and allowing the states to take up the role that our forefathers intended." "It's chaos!" a woman in the crowd shouted. "It may be chaos to you," Ernst replied, "but we do have to get back to a semblance of what our country was founded for." Democrats, Republicans respond to Ernst's Medicaid comments Nathan Sage, a Democrat seeking his party's nomination for U.S. Senate in 2026, called Ernst's remarks "a new low," saying "she's not even trying to hide her contempt for us." "This is simple: these cuts will kill people," Sage said in a statement. "But Joni Ernst can't even pretend to care. She shrugged it off. It's disgusting and vile. Iowa deserves so much better. She needs to go." State Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, who is considering running for U.S. Senate in 2026, said in a statement "it is of course true that we are all going to die, but our senators shouldn't be the ones killing us." "Joni Ernst has gone from 'make 'em squeal' to 'we're all going to die,'" Wahls said in a statement. "Washington politicians are screwing Iowans and we need leaders who will fight for us, not gut health care funding that 700,000 Iowans rely on." State Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, who says he is "seriously considering" running for Senate, posted a video to Instagram saying Ernst's town hall "is the perfect example of why I want to do this." "We all don't have to die so billionaires can have a bigger tax break," Scholten said. "That is crazy. … I talk to folks constantly who may not necessarily agree with all I do in politics, but a lot of these folks are pro-life. And pro-life people are for Medicaid, are for SNAP. That's what's preached in the Bible about taking care of the poor." State Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, who has also said he is considering running for Senate, shared a video of Ernst's comments on Facebook. "One doesn't have to operate with great malice to do great harm," he wrote. "The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient." Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann accused Democrats and the media of twisting Ernst's words. "Anyone who knows Joni — especially the folks who heard her answer tough questions for over an hour — knows Dems and the mainstream media are purposefully replacing her core message because it helps their fear-mongering," Kaufmann said in a statement. "But the fact is, without Senator Ernst taking a strong stand to protect the integrity of programs like Medicaid, Iowans would be worse off." Marissa Payne contributed to this report. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@ or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This story was updated to add more information. This story was updated to add a gallery.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
More Than a Million Americans Removed From Health Care Plan in One Month
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More than one million Americans lost health coverage in a single month at the end of last year as states continued to unwind pandemic-era coverage protections. According to data published by KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and news organization, national enrollment in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) dropped from 79,569,888 in November 2024 to 78,532,341 in December 2024, a net loss of 1,037,547 enrollees. Newsweek has contacted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outside of regular hours via email for comment. Why It Matters The unwinding process has significantly reshaped Medicaid enrollment across the U.S. Under federal rules in place during the pandemic, states were required to keep most Medicaid recipients continuously enrolled, even if their eligibility status changed. That requirement expired in March 2023, allowing states to resume removing individuals from the program. Since the unwinding began, enrollment has steadily declined, driven by both eligibility losses and procedural disenrollments—when individuals lose coverage due to missing paperwork or administrative errors rather than no longer qualifying. File photo: Medicaid activists wait to enter the House Energy and Commerce. File photo: Medicaid activists wait to enter the House Energy and Commerce. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP What To Know The drop represents one of the many steep single-month declines recorded since states began redetermining eligibility in early 2023, following the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. The December enrollment figure of 78.5 million is the lowest recorded figure since late 2020. For comparison, total Medicaid enrollment peaked at 94.6 million in April 2023, during the pandemic-era continuous coverage period. State-by-state trends also show uneven disenrollment rates, with Utah reporting disenrollment rates as high as 31 percent between March 2023 and December 2024, followed by Texas with 30 percent, while South Dakota saw a 2 percent decrease in enrollment in the same time frame. California, Maine, Alaska, Connecticut, and Oregon were other states that only saw a single-figure disenrollment rate during that time. KFF reported that child enrollment in the two programs is now below pre-pandemic enrollment in 13 states, while adult enrollment is below pre-pandemic levels in 7 states. Although, while in some states' disenrollment happened rapidly, returning to enrollment rates matching the early 2020 numbers, national Medicaid and CHIP enrollment is not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. What People Are Saying Eileen Sullivan-Marx, dean and professor of New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, told Newsweek: "It would be hard to know what caused this one month decline, however, it does reinforce that there is a projected trend downward continuing. It could be that some of the state differentials that month are skewing the whole data downward between November and December. I also notice that this is mostly a steeper downward trend for adults. The tendencies presently occurring have to do with disenrollments and the difficulty to re-enroll once disenrolled. If states do not make sure that there is a smooth way to re-enroll or enroll on a regular basis then there could be sharper decline in those enrolled in Medicaid." She added: "Disenrollments that are occurring simply because it is hard to re-enroll have consequences for those who need coverage in terms of accessing health care, getting medications, having to pay privately for a nursing home stay." Ben Anderson, the deputy senior director of health policy at Families USA, a health care-focused consumer advocacy group, told KFF in September: "We have seen some amazing coverage expansion in places like Oregon and California. But if you live in Texas, Florida, and Georgia, since the pandemic your health coverage has been disrupted in ways that were preventable by state leaders." What Happens Next As the unwinding continues, more reductions in enrollment are expected. With millions already having lost health coverage, concerns remain about access to care for low-income individuals and families.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stefany Shaheen: It's time to channel our outrage into action
Our family was forever changed when our daughter, Elle, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes shortly after her eighth birthday. It was Thanksgiving, and I can still see the room we were in at Boston's Children's Hospital. I vividly remember sitting on an old radiator under a tall window in the middle of the night as Elle slept attached to machines and too many tubes. That night, I felt the despair shared by any parent who is powerless to prevent their child's suffering. And every night since, for the last 17 years, I have worried about our daughter's health and safety. A century ago, Type 1 diabetes would have been a death sentence. Today, this is a disease Elle and more than one million other Americans can live with because of discoveries made possible, in part, through publicly-funded research. The United States has always been the place where innovation and science lead the way to life-changing discoveries and medical advancements. In fact, investments in medical research are responsible for recent breakthroughs in cancer treatments, diabetes care, and numerous other chronic conditions. Now, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are making devastating cuts to medical research and jeopardizing the progress being made to find new treatments and ultimately cure numerous diseases. From cancer research to vaccinations, they are carelessly ending promising clinical trials and endangering public health while throwing away some of the best doctors and scientists in our country to give tax cuts to billionaires. By eliminating the possibility for better treatments and cures, the Trump administration threatens America's standing as the world leader in global innovation as they steal our hope. I refuse to stand by and watch while they risk the safety of our children and destroy the promise of better days ahead for our families. Musk, Trump and Kennedy Jr., are taking their chainsaw to healthcare for everyone. Community health centers, which, here in New Hampshire, serve more than 90,000 people — particularly children who have no other source of medical care are facing devastating cuts. More than 180,000 people in New Hampshire rely on Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Health care is already too expensive. If Trump succeeds in slashing Medicaid and imposing his across-the-board tariffs, it will be a financial one-two punch for working families. Annual medical costs for everyone will spike, straining already tight family budgets. Cuts to organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will impact all of us by leaving state and local health officials without critical information and guidance, on even the most basic health threats, like the flu, all while measles is surging. It is criminal that in the United States of America two children have already died from measles and there are more than 1,000 active cases in the country right now. This is a disease that we know how to prevent and we eradicated before, but it is back and threatens to take even more lives. I could not prevent Elle's diagnosis, but inspired by her strength and determination, I have helped people with chronic conditions live safer and healthier lives. I started a small business to connect people with the support they need to feel better and meet their body's nutritional needs. This led me to work with doctors and researchers at hospitals and in labs across the country who have dedicated their lives to accelerating treatments for the most costly diseases. Now, I'm part of an effort, in Manchester, New Hampshire, to deliver next generation therapies and even cures for some of the toughest health problems — from treating injured war fighters to diabetes, lung disease and many others. Not only is this the right thing to do, but the National Institutes of Health estimates that for every $1 invested in research, more than $2.50 in economic activity is generated. It's a win-win. Living with constant threats to the health and safety of children is something that I will never accept, because it doesn't have to be this way. America leads the world in scientific discoveries for health care. The best treatments for everything exist here because most were developed here. We will not be able to recover what is being stolen from us right now. It is not enough to keep our heads down and try to work through this chaos, cruelty and corruption. There is simply too much at stake. No family will be left untouched. It is time to channel our outrage into action. Stefany Shaheen lives in Portsmouth and is a former member of the City Council and Police Commission. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Stefany Shaheen: It's time to channel our outrage into action
