| RICHMOND, Va. — The Commonwealth Initiative, the 501(c)(4) advocacy arm of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI), today launched “47,000,” a new ad in which Hampton Roads veterans call on Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) to vote against the biggest Medicaid cut in American history.
The ad, which is backed by a 5-figure buy in Rep. Kiggans’ district, will run on digital platforms as Congress continues to debate a budget reconciliation bill that would result in 8.6 million Americans getting kicked off their health coverage and becoming uninsured.
Yusun Beck of Virginia Beach and Dr. Joan Lingen of Onancock narrate the ad. Beck is an Air Force veteran who relies on Medicaid for his health care, while Lingen is a Navy veteran whose patients include several of the 47,000 Virginia veterans who are enrolled in Medicaid – and whose health care access would be at risk under the House bill.
Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced more than $715 billion in cuts to health care programs — the vast majority of which would come from Medicaid. In Virginia, 147,000 working people would see new out-of-pocket costs in the form of up to $35 co-pays, while 206,000 people would be kicked off Medicaid entirely, according to an analysis by The Commonwealth Institute. Additionally, more conservative members of Congress are looking to cut federal funding rates for Medicaid, including Medicaid expansion, which would end Virginia’s Medicaid expansion program and rip away health coverage from over 629,000 people in Virginia. Speaker Mike Johnson has set a target of passing the bill out of the full U.S. House of Representatives before members leave for Memorial Day.
“We launched this ad to elevate the voices of Yusun, Joan, and the 47,000 Virginia veterans who rely on Medicaid for their health care,” said Ashley Kenneth, President and CEO of The Commonwealth Initiative. “The health care of Virginia veterans is on the line – and we are calling on Rep. Kiggans to stand with Virginia veterans over her party’s leadership. These Medicaid cuts would fund tax breaks for the wealthiest people in our country while leaving hundreds of thousands of Virginians without access to affordable health care. It is our hope that Congresswoman Kiggans listens to the doctors and veterans she represents and votes no on this bill when it comes to the floor.”
The ad can be viewed HERE. A transcript of the ad is below:
Dr. Joan Lingen: As a physician, it makes me angry to realize that my fellow veterans will not be able to seek or access the care that they deserve.
Yusun Beck: What about people that have lost legs? What about people that have been shot or hit? They serve, they come back, and then they’re told, “Oh, well, forget you.” They made a promise, keep the promise.
Lingen: If patients lose their Medicaid coverage, they’re going to have to make some very difficult decisions. They’re going to have to decide if they’re going to buy groceries this week, or if they’re going to go to the doctor. These are the kinds of choices that veterans and their families should not be forced to make.
Beck: My veterans benefits don’t cover my daughter’s disabilities. So Medicaid fills in the gaps.
Lingen: I have seen parents trying to take care of children when they cannot afford medication for them. It is terrible to watch a child have an asthma attack because you cannot afford their inhaler. No parent should have to do that.
Beck: If these cuts go through, I am most concerned not just about myself, but about where would my children be, who depend on me, where would other people who have served their country be who also deserve these benefits? It’s not right.
Lingen: As fellow former Naval officers, health care providers, and VMI moms, Rep. Jen Kiggans and I have a lot in common, and we are well-acquainted. Jen, you are very well aware of the impact that Medicaid cuts will have on your constituents. Please, listen to them.
Beck: Stand up for Virginia’s veterans. Vote no to the Medicaid cuts. |
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