As a constituent of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, I am deeply concerned about the GOP’s proposed Medicaid cuts being considered in Congress. These cuts are not just a matter of budget adjustments — they are a direct threat to the health and well-being of millions of Pennsylvanians, including women, children, seniors, and members of marginalized communities.
Medicaid is a lifeline for millions in Pennsylvania, including 2 million adults and 1.4 million children who rely on it for health coverage. It is not just a statistic — behind these numbers are real people, families, and neighbors who depend on Medicaid for vital care. For our seniors, nearly 400,000 rely on Medicaid for long-term care, ensuring they receive the support they need as they age.
Yet, the current GOP budget proposal puts all of this at risk.
In addition, the proposal strips Planned Parenthood from the Medicaid program, an act that would devastate access to critical health services like birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing. This is an attack bigger than one provider, it’s an attack on health care access itself. In Pennsylvania, one in three Planned Parenthood patients rely on Medicaid, and if these health centers are forced to close, it is rural and low-income communities that will suffer the most.
Despite the Republican rhetoric, these cuts are not about improving health care—they are about control. They are part of a long-running campaign to strip access to reproductive and sexual health care, driven by a narrow political agenda that seeks to dictate personal health decisions. It is about the right to make choices about our own bodies, to access preventive care, and to decide which doctors we trust.
“Just like any other health care provider, Planned Parenthood health centers get reimbursed by Medicaid for the care that they provide, ” said Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson last week. “This is nothing more than an attempt to end abortion in the United States, and they are willing to take away birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment and more to do it.”
Why should the government be able to dictate abortion access, a form of healthcare? Should this not be left to medical professionals?
READ: If Abortion Abolitionists Get Their Way, Women Who Get an Abortion Will Face Homicide Charges
By imposing harsh Medicaid work requirements, like 80 hours of work per month, this proposal also threatens to strip health care from the most vulnerable. It targets those who are already struggling, creating unnecessary red tape that will only keep people off Medicaid, and keep them from getting the care they need.
These cuts will not only devastate individuals but will also harm our communities and local economies. It is estimated that the cuts would result in the loss of 49,000 jobs and $5.3 billion in economic damage in Pennsylvania alone. Families who rely on SNAP for groceries — 2 million Pennsylvanians — would also be at risk of losing their food security.
But these numbers only tell part of the story. Behind every lost job, every denied treatment, and every closed health center are real people: parents trying to keep their kids healthy, seniors who need care, and young adults seeking cancer screenings. This is a chance to take care of our fellow Americans.
Congressman Fitzpatrick, we need you to stand up for their health and well-being. Voting against these Medicaid cuts is a matter of protecting your community, keeping us healthy and keeping us whole. It is a matter of upholding the values of freedom, choice, and access to care that we all hold dear.
You have the opportunity to choose a better way — one that protects access to essential health care, supports families, and strengthens our communities. I urge you to reject these harmful Medicaid cuts and to stand with the people you represent.
