Latest news with #Johnson-Law
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
DC families, officials say cuts to Medicaid would be ‘devastating,' force hospital closures
WASHINGTON () — Families, healthcare leaders and elected officials are sounding the alarm over the potentially 'devastating impacts' from proposed cuts to Medicaid. 'This is not a red state, blue state issue. This is an issue of do we want to have quality healthcare in the nation's capital or not. And we do. All Americans want that,' said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. According to Bowser, Congress is considering cutting back the District's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) from 70% to 50%. This comes as federal lawmakers look to cut funding for the program nationwide in an effort to save money. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that helps provide medical care for low-income residents, those with disabilities, pregnant women and more. 'If it somehow sounds like there's anger in my voice, there is': Tensions rise as DC Council waits for the 2026 budget In D.C., more than 285,000 people are on Medicaid, including 95,000 infants and children, 28,000 elderly people and 27,000 people with disabilities. A reduction in FMAP would result in a total loss of $2.1 billion for hospitals, universities and community partners, according to the District. 'This will lead to hospital closures, longer wait times, cuts to life-saving services,' said Bowser. 'This would be a drop in the bucket [for the federal government]. This change for the federal government wouldn't close any gaps, but it would close hospitals in the District.' Children's National Hospital would be hit particularly hard. 'It would cost Children's National an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars,' said CEO Michelle Riley-Brown. 'A cut of this magnitude would force us to make difficult decisions, including scaling back critical services. It would also jeopardize cutting edge pediatric research and limit our ability to meet the needs of children.' According to Riley-Brown, 70% of visits to the hospital's emergency department are paid for through Medicaid. The inpatient unit that would be hit the hardest by cuts is the neonatal unit (NICU), which treats infant children, she noted. 'This is the most concerning threat to children's health care I have seen in my 26-year career,' Riley-Brown said. 'Let's bring the Commanders home': Bowser, Washington Commanders announce nearly $3 billion RFK Stadium deal 'What Medicaid does for so many families like me and my daughter, Abria — it is literally a lifeline,' said LaJoy Johnson-Law, a Ward 8 mother. Johnson-Law's 13-year-old daughter has special medical needs and relies on the program. 'It really helps us to be able to fund the providers so we're able to get high-quality care,' explained Johnson-Law. 'Her specialty appointments, so think about your neurologist, your pulmonary, your cardiologist. In addition to the medication and frankly just your primary care doctor.' According to Johnson-Law, Abria was born extremely early and had to spend time in the NICU. Without Medicaid coverage, the cost would've been $1 million. 'I don't have a million dollars. That's how much it cost for her to stay in the NICU: $1 million — just that alone, not including specialized surgery or other care. Just to bring her into this world, for her to stay in the NICU, $1 million.' She said if D.C.'s Medicaid percentage is slashed, she'll be forced to make difficult decisions on how to best care for her family. 'As a mother, to say 'hey, you may not be able to afford your child's medication,' is really heartbreaking for me. I'm supposed to be her protector,' she said. 'We would have to make some really tough decisions. Am I paying to put a roof over her head, or am I paying for her medication?' It's unclear when Congress will put forth a finalized plan on proposed Medicaid cuts. According to DC News Now's partners at The Hill, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is planning a May 7 meeting to finalize discussions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials, advocates urge House to pass DC Local Funds Act to restore budget
WASHINGTON () — D.C. residents are pushing members of the House of Representatives to vote on the DC Local Funds Act, which would restore the District's budget. 'We keep telling folks this is not a partisan issue, this is just a humanity issue. It's right versus wrong,' said LaJoy Johnson-Law, who was lobbying representatives at the Cannon Building Monday. The District's budget has been in limbo since last month, when Congress passed a short-term spending bill that reverted D.C. back to its 2024 fiscal year budget, effectively slashing the budget by $1 billion. The – which would allow D.C. to continue spending at its 2025 levels – on March 14. However, the House has not yet taken up the legislation. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Proposed federal bill would cut DC budget by roughly $1 billion, city officials say 'What is that going to mean if this money doesn't get unfrozen?' questioned Johnson-Law. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed frustration and concern over the House's lack of action. 'I'll be talking to House leadership with a focus on getting a date this week,' she said. 'Getting beyond this week puts us in territory where we have to take more extraordinary moves so that our budget remains balanced.' Johnson Law and others worry about what those 'extraordinary moves' could look like for D.C. schools. District officials continue to lobby against 'catastrophic' federal spending plan 'What are our schools going to do? We have a lot of charter schools here. They're waiting on their fourth quarter payments. Some of them could shut down,' she said. '[Are DC Public Schools] going to go to a modified school schedule where children are only in school a few days a week?' Estimates by D.C. leaders last month showed potentially hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of cuts to various sectors of the government, including education. Police, fire, transportation and more would also be impacted. The money in limbo is derived from local D.C. taxes, not federal dollars. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
