The American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed by the House of Representatives has stirred considerable concern, primarily for its implications on healthcare access for the sick. Unfortunately, its reach extends further, threatening to negatively impact millions of children who rely on special education services.
While healthcare and education may seem unrelated, Medicaid plays a crucial role in funding special education in schools. The AHCA proposes an alarming $880 billion reduction in Medicaid funding over the next decade—an approximate 25% cut. As highlighted in The New York Times, this legislation would also introduce a “per-capita cap” on funding for vulnerable populations, such as children with disabilities, fundamentally altering Medicaid from a comprehensive entitlement program to a more restricted one.
It’s clear that our government seems to believe the best approach is to leave families to fend for themselves, relying on outdated remedies rather than providing essential medical support. In the eyes of some lawmakers, children with disabilities may have been receiving too much care; after all, who needs physical therapists and feeding tubes when a little determination can supposedly solve everything?
Currently, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, school districts are mandated to deliver quality services to children with disabilities, often depending on Medicaid reimbursements to help fund these services. The AHCA would shift the responsibility of healthcare from the federal level to the states, which, as reported by The New York Times, would remove schools from the list of eligible Medicaid providers—meaning no more reimbursement for essential services.
This shift would leave states in a bind: they must still provide services to these children, but without the necessary funding, they would struggle to do so. This situation places vulnerable children in jeopardy, as their schools often serve as the only access point for essential health services.
The Save Medicaid in Schools Coalition recently communicated to legislators that school-based Medicaid programs are crucial lifelines for children unable to obtain necessary healthcare outside of school settings. The expected loss of $880 billion in federal funds would force states to ration healthcare for these at-risk children.
This proposed legislation represents a troubling, heartless strategy regarding the distribution of health services. By undermining the ability of schools to support children with disabilities, we effectively abandon them. As former Vice President Hubert Humphrey once stated, “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” With this bill, we are on the verge of failing that moral test.
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Summary
The AHCA’s proposed cuts to Medicaid would significantly harm special education funding, impacting the services available to millions of children with disabilities. This shift not only threatens healthcare access but also sets a troubling precedent for how vulnerable populations are treated.