Advocates Alarmed About Possible Budget Cuts

Food, healthcare for children could be targets under Project 2025

By Danielle M. Smith - Public News Service
The Tube City Almanac
December 30, 2024
Posted in: State & Region

As President-elect Donald Trump takes office, federal safety net programs such as Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP, which support 85 million low-income Americans, may face cuts to reduce inflation and debt.

In Pennsylvania, 40 percent of the child population is covered through Medicaid.

Carolyn Myers, communications director for Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said Medicaid has been instrumental in reducing the child uninsured rate. Cuts to the program will threaten coverage and benefits to the 1.2 million children currently enrolled in Pennsylvania.

“They don't have access to the comprehensive health benefits package that Medicaid offers, which identifies early problems, regular well-child visits, immunizations, tracking physical mental development, blood lead testing and dental, vision and hearing screenings,” Myers said. “It then provides the appropriate treatment and medical care needed for the child.”

Myers said Medicaid enrollment is open year-round, allowing families to access essential health care. She said health care coverage has significantly improved children's health and graduation rates and cutting funding could jeopardize the vital benefits.

Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said cuts to the program will have widespread effects as Medicaid is the largest source of federal funds coming into state budgets.

“Medicaid accounts for about 56 percent of all federal money that is flowing to states,” Alker said. “If we do see big cuts to Medicaid, that will affect all areas of states’ budgets, not just their health budget.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could face cuts as well.

Mayra Alvarez, president of the Children’s Partnership, said the proposed changes outlined in Project 2025 could make the program harder to access while increasing inefficiencies. She said each SNAP dollar generates $1.54 in economic activity.

“SNAP or food stamps, it’s our nation’s first line of defense against hunger,” Alvarez said. “It provides more than 40 million people with the financial assistance they need to put food on the table every month without adequate access to food, stress or health outcomes and increased debt are likely to occur.”

As of September, SNAP provided more than $367 million in federally funded food assistance to over 2 million people in Pennsylvania.

Danielle M. Smith is a producer for Public News Service, where this story first appeared. An award-winning radio journalist/personality with more than a decade of experience in broadcast media, she is a former audio journalist with American Urban Radio Networks and Sheridan Broadcasting Networks who also hosts a weekly community affairs show “Good News” on WGBN (1360 AM/98.9 FM).

Originally published December 30, 2024.

In other news:
"Little Progress Seen …" || "MUSEUM MANAGERThe McK…"