Baldwin, La Crosse area residents warn against Medicaid cuts in Wisconsin

Kim Frederick’s teenage son has Down syndrome and has relied on Medicaid-funded services throughout his life. Without the extra support programs, the Mindoro resident said her son’s world “gets much smaller.”

“We would lose access to programs that get him in the community,” Frederick said. “We would lose access to future job opportunities for him. He could lose access to being more included in school because if the school loses [Medicaid] funding, they don’t have the aids for him.”

Frederick was one of several La Crosse-area residents who spoke at a “Hands Off Medicaid” event held by Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Monday.

Baldwin called on her GOP colleagues not to pursue potential cuts to the joint federal and state health program for people with low incomes and those with disabilities.

A budget resolution passed by the Republican-led House included more than $880 billion in spending cuts from the committee that oversees Medicaid. The bill still needs to undergo a reconciliation process with the U.S. Senate.

Baldwin told event attendees on Monday that public polling shows the majority of Americans do not support cuts to Medicaid.

“The public is with us on this, and therefore I am feeling hopeful that when we tell our stories, when we stand up, when we share, that we’ll be able to really fight against these proposed cuts,” she said.

Wisconsin Republicans in Congress, including U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Prairie du Chien, have argued that the budget votes have not included direct cuts to Medicaid. Others like U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, R-De Pere, and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, have implied that spending reductions could come from eliminating waste, fraud and abuse within the program.

Public policy experts have said it would be impossible for the committee to find $880 billion in savings only through eliminating waste and fraud.

Dana Horstman from Bangor, who uses the IRIS program for people with disabilities, pushed back on the idea of that there is abuse or fraud within the Medicaid system. She said complying with her program’s extensive requirements for reporting health and financial documents is taxing. 

“I have to meet quarterly with my nurse, and I talk to my consultant every month, and I meet with her quarterly,” Horstman told Baldwin. “It’s very intrusive, and you give over your life just so you can afford to live.”

Horstman, who suffered a spinal cord injury over a decade ago, said Medicaid services were critical for her ability to return to the workforce. She receives help with personal care and transportation. Horstman said there’s no public transportation from her rural community into La Crosse.

“It’s just really important that this not be cut,” Horstman said. “I love working. I feel like I’m a member of society, I’m giving back to my community, and I don’t want to lose that.”