Rep. Bryant Bailey Sounds Alarm on Medicaid Cuts Gutting Ohio Families' Health Care

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey (D-Cincinnati) today joined a coalition of health care advocates, physicians, and elected officials for a virtual press event hosted by Protect Our Care, calling out the catastrophic damage that Donald Trump and Republicans have done to Ohio's health system through the largest Medicaid Cuts in American history. 

Rep. Bryant Bailey spoke not only as a legislator but also as a caregiver, someone currently helping to navigate the health care system for an aging parent. She described firsthand the impossible burden placed on families who must constantly fight for coverage, manage out-of-pocket costs, and stretch limited resources just to keep a loved one healthy. 

"This is not a policy debate. This is about whether people can get care or have to go without it," said Rep. Bryant Bailey. "More than 200,000 Ohioans have already lost their Medicaid coverage. Nearly 290,000 more are expected to lose it by 2034. And right now, families across this state are being told they are on their own. That is not acceptable." 

Rep. Bryant Bailey also highlighted a data point that struck at the heart of the crisis: Black infant mortality in Hamilton County has more than doubled, from 9 deaths to 21 deaths per 1,000 births. 

"We already know the disparities exist. We already know access to care is part of the problem," continued Rep. Bryant Bailey. "So when you cut Medicaid, you are not just making a bad situation worse. You are fueling a crisis." 

Rep. Bryant Bailey named those she holds directly responsible who supported the cuts that stripped more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to fund tax breaks for corporations and billionaires. 

"This is a deliberate dismantling of care for working people," added Rep. Bryant Bailey. "Led by Donald Trump. Backed by people like Jon Husted. And enabled by their allies in statehouses across the country, all so they can hand out tax breaks to people who will never have to wonder how to pay a medical bill." 

Rep. Bryant Bailey also pushed back against the fraud justification billionaires and their allies in the Statehouse are using to defend the cuts. The federal government's own data show that Medicaid's improper payment rate, including paperwork errors and administrative mistakes, not just fraud, is a small fraction of total spending. Actual fraud committed by individuals is even lower. Stripping coverage from hundreds of thousands of Ohioans cannot be justified by a paperwork problem. 

"If the goal was actually fixing fraud, the numbers don't support a trillion-dollar cut," concluded Rep. Bryant Bailey. "This was never about protecting taxpayers. It was about finding an excuse to take health care away from people who need it most." 

By the Numbers: Ohio's Health Care Crisis: 

• More than 207,000 Ohioans have already lost coverage, including more than 113,000 who had coverage through the ACA and more than 93,000 who relied directly on Medicaid. 
• Ohio hospitals are projected to lose $22.4B in Medicaid funding and $159M in ACA funding due to Republican cuts. 
• 31 Ohio hospitals, clinics, and providers have shuttered, announced closures, cut services, or are now at serious risk, including institutions in rural and underserved communities across the state.
• A predicted 290,000 more Ohioans will lose coverage by 2034, according to a new report released today by Protect Our Care. 

To view Rep. Bryan Bailey's full press conference, click here.