Davids Fights Back Against Medicaid Cuts That Hurt Kansans

KANSAS CITY, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids and local advocates held a press conference at Vibrant Health to push back against President Trump and House Republicans’ efforts to cut Medicaid while giving tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations. These cuts, pushed in a partisan bill in Congress earlier this week, would have devastating consequences for Kansans — putting children, seniors, people with disabilities, and workers at risk. If enacted, they would force families to pay more for worse care, all while benefiting the ultra-wealthy.

“Kansans shouldn’t have to pay more or travel farther for worse health care just so billionaires can get another tax giveaway,” said Davids. “These cuts to Medicaid would devastate our communities — forcing families to lose coverage, hospitals to close, and seniors and people with disabilities to lose essential care. I’m working to not just protect, but to also expand Medicaid to make health care more affordable for Kansas families.”

WATCH: Click here for a livestream of Davids’ press conference

How Medicaid Cuts Hurt Kansans

• More than 61,000 Kansans in Kansas’ Third District — including more than 41,000 children and 11,00 seniors — are at risk of losing coverage.
  • Statewide, 14.4 percent of Kansans stand to lose coverage, an overwhelmingly unpopular move.
• A reduction in Medicaid could strain Kansas’ budget, forcing cuts to provider reimbursements and limiting long-term care access for seniors. For example, a 20 percent reduction would require $22 million in state funds to maintain Medicaid funding.

How Medicaid Cuts Hurt Children and Maternal Health

• Medicaid covers nearly 40 percent of all children and 2 out of every 5 births. Medicaid also provides 12 months of postpartum coverage in nearly every state, helping reduce maternal deaths.
• The U.S. already has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, with more than 80 percent of maternal deaths being preventable — gutting Medicaid will make this crisis worse.

How Cuts Hurt People with Disabilities and Seniors

• People who rely on long-term care services — such as home- and community-based care — are at the greatest risk, including 4.5 million Americans with disabilities. These essential services would be cut first, leaving Kansas families with no options for care.
• Medicaid provides comprehensive coverage for children with disabilities at little to no out-of-pocket cost.

Other Consequences of Medicaid Cuts

• Hospital Closures & Reduced Services: Cuts in hospital payments would lead to increased closures, reduced services, and worse care for all Kansas families, especially in rural communities where 82 percent of hospitals operate at a loss. This forces families to travel further for essential care and receive lower-quality treatment.
• Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment at Risk: Medicaid is the largest contributor to mental health and substance use disorder services — cuts put care for individuals struggling with behavioral health and the fight against drug overdoses in jeopardy.

All This to Benefit Billionaires: Instead of strengthening health care for working families, House Republicans are slashing Medicaid to fund tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy. Their plan threatens coverage for more 70 million Americans, including children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals fighting addiction. Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of people in both parties believe investments in health care should be increased, not cut. This is a direct attack on hardworking Kansans, their health, and their economic security — all to give tax breaks to the top 0.1 percent of earners and big corporations.

"At Vibrant Health, we believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality health care and the opportunity to live a long, healthy life,” said Patrick Sallee, President & CEO, Vibrant Health. “In our community, hundreds of families — especially children and expecting mothers — depend on Medicaid for essential care. Cutting Medicaid would put the most vulnerable among us at risk, deepening health disparities in an area that is already medically underserved."

“Instead of strengthening the Medicaid program, Congress is trading the well-being of Kansas kids so they can give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest in the country,” said Adrienne Olejnik, Vice President, Kansas Action for Children. “The astronomical Medicaid cuts approved by the House will result in thousands of Kansas kids losing access to doctors, prescriptions, therapies, and more.”

“The proposed cuts to federal Medicaid funding would devastate services —not just in Kansas, but across the country—leaving the 4.5 million Americans with disabilities without the support they need to live, work, and participate in their communities,” said Rachel Neumann, Chief Operating Officer, COF Training Services. “These cuts aren’t just numbers on a budget; they represent real harm to real people. These cuts would make the wait for services even longer, leaving more individuals and families in crisis. If Medicaid is cut, provider shortages will worsen, forcing people into institutional settings that are not only more restrictive but also four times more expensive than home and community-based care. Cutting Medicaid is not just harmful, it is fiscally irresponsible.”

“Medicaid and Medicaid Waivers are lifelines for people like my adult daughter Rachel who has Down syndrome, and for others with disabilities, providing essential health care, home and community-based services and other supports they need to live, work, and thrive in their communities,” said Jawanda Mast, mother of Medicaid beneficiary and Grassroots Advocacy Manager, National Down Syndrome Congress. “These programs are not just about medical care—they provide independence, dignity, and the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to lead meaningful lives. Protecting and strengthening Medicaid is critical for families like mine and millions of others across the country.”

Davids has been a strong advocate for protecting and expanding Medicaid to ensure Kansans have access to affordable health care. She has:

• Fought to expand Medicaid in Kansas, which would cover an additional 150,000 Kansans and strengthen rural hospitals.
  • A report found that Kansas could increase its economic output by $17 billion and add an estimated 23,000 new jobs if the state chose to expand Medicaid.
• Supported  legislation to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, reducing maternal mortality and improving health outcomes for new mothers.
• Opposed efforts earlier this week that could slash Medicaid funding, calling for bipartisan solutions that lower costs and improve care rather than threaten Kansans' health and economic security.

The information above was compiled using data from the U.S. House Committees on the Budget (here and here), Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, and Leading Age Kansas.