Letter to the editor: Medicaid cuts will cost Montanans their health and lives

Medicaid is the difference between life and death for many children and adults in Montana. As an advocate for marginalized people, I see a growing number of those who need it most being removed from Medicaid or denied insurance. The program means the most vulnerable, including children, people who are differently abled, and adults who have low incomes, can receive life-saving health support and medical care. Many people who use Medicaid are employed but do not earn enough to purchase other insurance.

It is far more expensive to treat someone for an illness than to provide preventative and early care. Those without medical insurance present late in the disease process, leading to more extensive emergency requirements and increased financial costs, while people will pay with their lives.

As for me, the loss of Medicaid means I will not survive. Due to a rare and complex medical condition, which nearly proved fatal, I live with multiple severe medical issues. Medicaid allows me to live safely in my home, access critical medications, and receive the medical care I need to stay alive. Without it, I would be forced into a nursing home, costing many thousands of times more and destroying my independence and quality of life. There are not enough nursing homes to house those removed from programs.

Medicaid isn’t free. I pay a substantial amount of my income for Medicaid insurance.

Cuts to the program will not save money, but they will cost vulnerable Montanans their health and their lives.

Jeanne Hatfield,

Hamilton