2025 - Motorcade for Medicaid
Can we live without hospitals in our area?
This is an important issue we need to address in District 33. The Medicaid cuts in the budget bill that the federal government passed and was signed into law in July seriously endangers the remaining two hospitals in the district, one in Portland and one in Winchester. A third hospital in Decatur is also endangered.
The reason for this is because almost a quarter of the population in Blackford, Jay, Randolph, and Delaware, and Henry Counties receive Medicaid benefits. Statewide, 13% of income for all hospitals comes from Medicaid funds. Ascension Randolph, IU Health Jay, and Adams Memorial all receive such a high percentage of their income from Medicaid payments, they will not be able to survive the cuts from the federal budget bill.
The federal budget bill initially cut $155 billion in Medicaid funding which goes to rural hospitals. $50 billion was added back earmarked for rural hospitals to win the votes to pass the overall budget. The distribution of this $50 billion is an oddity in that states have to apply for it, and no one understands the criteria of how it will be distributed, so Indiana could really lose out. Not to mention, that less than 1/3 of the money is put back into financing rural hospitals.
If all three of the endangered hospitals close, THERE WILL BE NO HOSPITALS IN THE 100+ MILES BETWEEN REID IN RICHMOND AND LUTHERAN IN FORT WAYNE IN THE OHIO BORDER COUNTIES! This will greatly increase ambulance rides, contribute to no ambulances being available because they are already on runs, and greatly increase ER wait times where there are hospitals (Muncie, Marion, Bluffton, Richmond, etc.) EVERYONE will be affected.
We are participating in the “MOTORCADE FOR MEDICAID” on Saturday, September 6. We are starting in Richmond and ending in Decatur with stops in Winchester and Portland. We will highlight the issues and raise awareness that state and federal governments need to be planning to protect rural hospitals if the worst case comes about. Please consider to ride with us or show up at one of the stops to support us!
