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John James is Already Feeling the Heat for His Vote to Gut Medicaid and Raise Health Care Costs

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John James is Already Feeling the Heat for His Vote to Gut Medicaid and Raise Health Care Costs

After voting to “take healthcare coverage away from hundreds of thousands of Michiganders—including thousands living in his own district,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. John James is already feeling the heat for selling out his constituents to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.

Michiganders were quick to call James out for greenlighting a disastrous budget bill that would gut Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands of people in his state. According to the Advance, Michigan physicians and advocates spoke out against James’ vote, warning it “won’t just result in depriving Medicaid recipients of health care coverage, [but] will also raise health care costs for many people, including seniors.”

Read more from the Michigan Advance:

  • Michigan advocates say those most in need will feel the adverse effects of GOP cuts to Medicaid following a congressional this week vote to pass legislation that would slash hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending.

  • “I especially worry about how senior Michiganders will fare under the legislation Congressman James voted for this week,” said Dr. Christine Crader, a palliative medicine physician from St. Clair Shores, which is in James’ district.

  • Crader says the legislation won’t just result in depriving Medicaid recipients of health care coverage, it will also raise health care costs for many people, including seniors.

  • “Many poor, older and disabled people are enrolled in Medicare but use Medicaid to cover copayments they cannot afford. So if their Medicaid is taken away, as it could be under the legislation Congressman James voted for, these seniors and disabled people might not be able to pay their co-payments or other costs,” Crader said.

  • Michigan Democratic Party Curtis Hertel was less restrained in his criticism, calling James “a disgrace” to the state and the millions of Michiganders that rely on Medicaid.

  • “The worst part is, all of these cuts that rip away health care from people who need it, is all to give the richest 1% yet another tax break,” Hertel said.

  • An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office indicates that the proposed Medicaid changes would cut $625 billion in federal spending over the next decade, resulting in approximately 10.3 million people losing access to either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Additionally, 7.6 million people would become uninsured during the 10-year budget window.

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