People Over Profits

“People over profits” was the dominant theme Tuesday afternoon on the South Lawn of the Connecticut State Capitol as several hundred people gathered to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid funding.

The rally, hosted by the CT State Independent Living Centers, was part of a nationwide day of action by members of Congress that brought together state and federal leaders, healthcare workers, advocates, and Medicaid recipients, all warning of the consequences should Congress approve drastic reductions to the program’s funding.

Among those who spoke were US Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, Gov. Ned Lamont, US Reps. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, John Larson, D-1st District, and Rosa DeLauro D-3rd District, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon, state Sens. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, and Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford, Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves, and several Medicaid recipients who shared their personal experiences.

Bysiewicz discussed Medicaid’s impact in Connecticut, highlighting the number of residents who rely on the program.

“Forty-two percent of the births that occur in our state and around the country are covered by Medicaid,” she said. “If we want to take care of our moms, if we want to take care of our newborns, then we need Medicaid. Are we going to let the federal government cut Medicaid?”

The crowd responded with a resounding, “No!”

Courtney said the fight over Medicaid was fundamental to the nation’s healthcare system.

“Seventy-one million Americans are on Medicaid,” he told the crowd. “It’s the largest health plan in our country. It’s bigger than Medicare, it’s bigger than any commercial health plan. It covers newborns, live births, end-of-life care in nursing homes, and populations in between – adults who need help with opioid addiction, young adults who need coverage while working low-income jobs.”

He criticized the House Republican budget proposal, which, he argued, prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthy over public healthcare.

“What the House Republicans voted on at the end of February was a $5 trillion tax cut for the top one percent and corporations,” Courtney said. “And they paid for it by cutting Medicaid by a trillion dollars, nutrition assistance by $300 billion, and student loan assistance by $300 billion.”

Blumenthal took direct aim at billionaires who, he said, benefit from tax cuts at the expense of essential services.

“Elon Musk is giving you the middle finger. Here’s what I have to say to Elon: You’re not going to get away with it. You cannot hold America hostage for your billionaire tax cuts,” Blumenthal said, while also warning that Medicaid cuts would have repercussions beyond those directly reliant on the program.

“Even if you don’t have an ounce of humanity, even if you don’t care about the kids who won’t get vaccinated or the seniors in nursing homes, your taxes will rise if the federal government stops funding Medicaid,” he said. “So if you care about your taxes, you better say ‘no’ to Elon Musk and Donald Trump the way we are doing today.”

Murphy called the proposed Medicaid cuts “the biggest transfer of wealth in our country’s history,” arguing that they would redistribute money from working- and middle-class Americans to the wealthiest one percent.

“They’re cutting Medicaid because they want to fund a giant tax cut for billionaires,” he said. “Medicaid is that program that says something about who we are as a civilization – that if someone is in need, if someone is disabled, if someone has an illness that has changed their life, we wrap our arms around them – not just as a neighborhood, but as a nation.”

Beyond legislators and state officials, those who depend on Medicaid shared their stories.

Joe Shortt, a Medicaid recipient and disability advocate, described how the program had allowed him to live independently.

“I was paralyzed in 2002. If it weren’t for Medicaid, I wouldn’t be here today,” Shortt said from his wheelchair. “The only public or private health insurance that covers long-term, in-home care is Medicaid. Because of it, I’ve been able to live in the community, work as an advocate, and earn a master’s degree.”

Shortt also highlighted the effects of cuts to the Social Security Administration, warning that staff shortages are already delaying critical benefits.

“SSA staffing is at a 25-year low. Already, over a million people are waiting for disability eligibility determinations,” he said. “What happens when they cut another 7,000 staff members? People will die.”

Lamont called for a unified front to fight back against the proposed cuts.

“Hey Washington, can you hear us? Donald Trump, can you hear us?” he yelled to the crowd. “This is Hartford, Connecticut, and we are here to fight for our healthcare.”

DeLauro warned of the serious nature of the situation.

“Medicaid is in mortal danger,” she said. “There is a coordinated campaign by the administration and the Republican majority in Congress to target and defund this critical program. They want $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and yes, even Medicare and Social Security.”

Lesser, co-chair of the Human Services Committee, emphasized that Medicaid provides vital support to thousands of people in his district.

Gilchrest, the committee’s other co-chair, criticized efforts to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients, arguing that such measures unfairly stigmatize those who rely on the program.

“They’re calling you lazy,” she said. “They’re calling for more oversight of fraud because they’re saying people on Medicaid cheat. They are trying to villainize Medicaid recipients, and we are not going to let them do it.”

Scanlon left the crowd with a call to action.

“This is not about numbers. This is about people,” he said. “The history of our country is written by those who stood up during times of difficulty and used their voices. We must do the same today.”

Another rally is scheduled for April 5 at the same location.