House Republican Proposals Cutting Medicaid Could Devastate Oregon’s Seniors and People with Disabilities

The Cutbacks Could Harm 146,400 Oregon Seniors and People with Disabilities Who Depend on Medicaid, Many for Nursing Home and Other Long-Term Care

Washington, D.C.—As Republicans in the House of Representatives pass varying proposals to cut back Medicaid, including a new proposal enabling states to reduce program eligibility, a report released today shows these cuts could have a devastating impact on Oregon’s 146,400 seniors and people with disabilities who depend on Medicaid as their lifeline.

The report by the consumer health organization Families USA shows that 10.3 percent of Oregon’s seniors, and 30.5 percent of its people with disabilities, receive health coverage through the Medicaid program.

For many of Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities, their participation in Medicaid enables them to receive nursing home and other long-term care. Medicaid is the largest payer of nursing home care, and 60.9 percent of Oregon’s nursing home residents receive coverage through the program. This Medicaid coverage saves families from economic devastation, because the average annual cost of a semi-private nursing home room in Oregon was $81,000 in 2010.

In addition, Medicaid pays for care that makes it possible for 44,400 seniors and people with disabilities in Oregon to remain living in their communities.

“Cutting Medicaid would devastate Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities, especially the many needing nursing home and other long-term care,” said Ron Pollack, Families USA’s Executive Director. “It would also cause havoc in families’ lives as more and more people are forced to give up jobs to take care of their loved ones.”

According to the Families USA report, cutting Medicaid’s long-term care coverage would also have an adverse impact on Oregon’s economy. Based on the latest statistics available, there were 26,900 direct care workers providing long-term care services in Oregon, many of whom would lose their jobs if Medicaid cut back eligibility for long-term care services. Additionally, this direct loss in jobs would have an adverse multiplier effect throughout Oregon’s economy.

Based on the latest data available, in Oregon there were 620,000 informal caregivers—typically family members and friends—who provided help for seniors and people with disabilities needing long-term care. If Medicaid’s long-term care coverage is diminished, the burden on these caregivers’ lives would increase exponentially.

“Congressional Republicans voting to cut back Medicaid are doing a great disservice to our nation’s seniors, people with disabilities, and their families,” said Pollack. “This is the essence of anti-family budgeting, and we hope it will be reconsidered.”

A specific state fact sheet on this issue for Oregon is available.

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org