Eastern Kentucky health advocates held an online news conference Thursday to air concerns about federal cuts to health and other programs many residents depend on. Dr. James Jones is the medical director of Primary Care of Eastern Kentucky in Hazard. He said the proposed $715 billion cut to Medicaid over a decade proposed by Republicans in Congress would hurt patients and providers.
“It's not just the health care of the person, it's the jobs that go with it. I'm afraid what you would see with Medicaid cuts is similar to the decline in the coal industry. You know, people who depend on the Medicaid dollars for their jobs because of employees, nurses, doctors, pharmacists.”
Several speakers said proposed and actual cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other programs will hurt the people they’re trying to help. They said while more people are being diagnosed with black lung disease, the Trump Administration has laid off researchers and screeners and paused enforcing a new silica dust rule. Jones had this suggestion for federal savings:
“The only cuts I would push for black lung would be the cuts to the people who work hard to prevent the miners from getting the benefits.”
Speakers noted in Congressman Hal Rogers’ district, 44 percent rely on Medicaid and the district has the most black lung benefit recipients in the country.
Rogers’ office did not respond to a request for an interview or statement.
