Jay Rockefeller: “last week I came before this body to highlight the potentially harmful effects of budget reconciliation on our Nation's…”

“last week I came before this body to highlight the potentially harmful effects of budget reconciliation on our Nation's working families. I asked my colleagues to hold firm against the special interests in order to protect the Federal guarantee of Medicaid benefits for the 50 million Americans who depend on this vital program for health care. When the Medicaid motion to instruct conferees passed by a vote of 75 to 16, I thought the Senate was serious about preserving access to health coverage for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and disabled across our country. However, my hope quickly faded when the budget reconciliation conference report was released earlier this week. Instead of providing more assistance to families in need, the reconciliation conference report includes even greater cuts than those passed in the House of Representatives to vital safety net programs like Medicaid. Under this conference bill, the early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment, EPSDT, benefit, which provides children with access to necessary immunizations, checkups, and preventive services, is eliminated. This means that low-income children--no matter how poor--will no longer be guaranteed vision, hearing and dental screenings; coverage for eyeglasses; therapy services, medical equipment that will allow them to attend school; or any other Medicaid services.…”