Blunt Rochester, Coons, McBride, patients, providers, and hospital administrators Denounce Cuts to Vital Health Care Program
Wilmington, Del. — Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons, and Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride (all D-Del.), brought together patients, providers, advocates, federally qualified health clinics and hospital leaders to denounce the Congressional Majority conference’s plan to cut Medicaid funding by $880 billion. The cuts would slash health care coverage for our most vulnerable Delawareans, including kids, working families, and people with disabilities.
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“Whether you are a child, a person with disabilities, a mother-to-be, or have complex medical conditions – Medicaid impacts all of us,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “If Republicans get their way, 1 in 4 Delawareans would have their health care taken away from them. Taking away lifesaving care in order to pay for tax breaks for the ultra wealthy is not just bad policy, it’s cruel. I was glad to stand alongside families and providers today to shine a light on this important program. I will continue to work with the Delaware federal delegation to fight back against Republican efforts to take away Medicaid.”
“Delawareans all over our state depend on Medicaid at every stage of life—from newborns who are delivered thanks to funding from Medicaid, to adults receiving mental health treatment through Medicaid, to seniors living their twilight years in dignity at assisted living facilities funded by Medicaid,” said Senator Coons. “There is nothing more unkind, unthinking, even immoral than to advocate for slashing Medicaid funding to pay for another tax cut for billionaires, yet that is exactly what Republicans are calling for in Congress right now.”
“Nearly 1 in 4 Delawareans relies on Medicaid for their health care coverage, including nearly 1 in 2 children. It is unconscionable that the majority party in Congress would rip away coverage from neighbors across our state in order to hand over enormous tax breaks to billionaires,” said Congresswoman McBride. “I stand in solidarity with patients, providers, our hospital systems, and our federally qualified health centers – all who would be impacted if these cuts go into effect – and will continue to oppose any actions that prioritize the wealthiest Americans over everyday Americans.”
The federal delegation was joined by dozens of Delaware Medicaid recipients who received life-saving and life-affirming care through the program’s coverage. Several told their own stories.
Parts of their stories are included below, full video can be accessed here.
Caroline King, a young advocate, shared, “I’m from Newark, Delaware. I’m glad to be here today and would like to thank Representative McBride for inviting me to join to share a bit of my story.
“Without Medicaid, I could die. Due to multiple rare complex medical conditions, I receive a life-sustaining form of IV nutrition called total parental nutrition, or TPS, through a central line that sits near my heart.
“Out of pocket, my TPN costs over $19,000 a month. Even with insurance, this would remain in the thousands… If it were not for Medicaid, I would not have been able to receive this life-saving, and now life is staying treatment… Prior to being approved for Medicaid, I frequently neglected my healthcare needs. I could not afford every appointment I was supposed to have. Now that I have coverage for Medicaid, I’m able to have assurance that I will not lose everything in order to take care of my health.”
Nancy Lemus, New Castle, mother to Christopher, shared her family’s story, “My name is Nancy Lemus, and this is my son Christopher Garcia. I am here today as a mother, an advocate, and someone who understands firsthand what Medicaid truly means for families like mine.”
“My son Christopher is a vibrant young man. He loves music, especially the drums. He loves traveling. He loves being surrounded by his family and friends, but Christopher is also an individual with disabilities and medical complexities, and because of that, he relies on home-based community services and private-duty nursing to survive. Thanks to Medicaid, Christopher can live at home, where he belongs, surrounded by the people who love him most.
“His room is not just a bedroom, it’s a lifeline. It holds the advanced medical equipment he needs, a tray, ventilator, feeding tube, and life-sustaining care. All of his equipment is also portable, so Christopher is able to be here today.
“Medicaid is not just a program. It’s the reason my son can wake up in his own bed instead of a hospital room. It’s the reason I can be his mother instead of just a caregiver fighting for his survival. It’s the reason Christopher can have a life filled with joy, music, and love… Christopher’s care would be impossible to afford and families like ours would be left with no options.”
“I’m a proud small business owner living in Newark, Delaware,” said Davida Benson. “I have spent my life working hard to provide for my family and build something meaningful. But like so many others, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. My business slowed down dramatically, and despite my best efforts, earning the same income I once did has been a challenge.
“At the same time, I have taken on another full-time role as caregiver to my 80-year-old mother who was diagnosed with vascular dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Caring for an aging parent is an act of love, but it’s also a tremendous responsibility, one that comes with emotional, physical, and financial burdens. Medicaid has helped lighten that burden, allowing me to focus on my mother’s well-being without constant fear of medical costs piling up.
“But Medicaid doesn’t just help my mother, it helps me too. Like many working Americans, I have chronic conditions including diabetes, asthma, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and anxiety. Medicaid ensures that I have access to medications, specialists, and monitoring.
“Medicaid also has been critical for my son as a single mother, I know firsthand how hard it can be to ensure your child has the care they need, especially when financial struggles arise… Without Medicaid, I don’t know how I would afford his healthcare. He has asthma and without access to doctors and medication, a simple asthma attack could turn into a life-threatening emergency.
“Cutting Medicaid isn’t just a budget decision, it’s a decision that could cost lives. The life of my mother, myself, and my son.”
The delegation was also joined by dozens of physicians, nurses, care providers, representatives from hospitals across the state, and representatives from all of the region’s federally qualified health clinics.
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ChristianaCare Wilmington Campus President, Dr. LeRoi Hicks, M.D., MPH, MACP said, “Medicaid is critical to Delaware’s healthcare ecosystem, providing life-saving care for our most vulnerable, underrepresented, and diverse communities. Cutting Medicaid will do irreparable harm to people in our community – eliminating a lifeline for our patients and putting further strain on safety net hospitals, including ChristianaCare’s emergency services. ChristianaCare is grateful for the Delaware Congressional Delegation’s unwavering commitment and advocacy to preserve access to Medicaid for the people of our state.”
“As a Federally Qualified Health Center, Westside Family Healthcare serves over 23,000 patients each year, with 47% of our patients enrolled in Medicaid. We are first-hand witnesses of the value Medicaid has in our patients’ lives,” said Chris Fraser, President & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare. “Medicaid is more than a budget line—it’s a critical lifeline for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and families who depend on it for their healthcare. It enables working families to stretch limited resources and to focus on building financial stability, put healthy food on the table, and secure a safe home for their loved ones.”
“Henrietta Johnson Medical Center is a Community Health Center serving 3600 patients in 2023 of which approximately 1500 received health care coverage through Medicaid,” said Shay Scott, CEO of Henrietta Johnson Medical Center. “If Medicaid funding were to be reduced, yes, Henrietta Johnson Medical Center and the healthcare system at large would incur operational and financial strain, but more than that — nearly one fourth of Delawareans could face cuts to their care. Individuals, families, and communities would be hurt. Please protect Medicaid.
“As Sussex County’s safety net provider, La Red provides health care services to just under 13,500 residents,” said Rosa Rivera, La Red Health Center Chief of Operations. “Nearly 40% of our patients are covered by Medicaid. If Medicaid is cut, many of our patients will delay care for conditions that if treated early would be more manageable and less expensive. Medicaid saves lives. It is that simple.”
“Medicaid is an essential program – we are talking about basic healthcare for children and families across Delaware,” said Brian Frazee, President & CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “Put simply, cuts to Medicaid mean less healthcare for Delawareans. Uninsured individuals are less likely to seek preventative care and more likely to delay needed care. This is a dangerous precedent to set and one that goes against our mission of ensuring quality, accessible, and equitable healthcare for every Delawarean. These cuts also strain critical resources for our hospital partners who are on the frontlines of patient care. I thank our Congressional Delegation for their steadfast advocacy for Delawareans and look forward to working with them to protect this critical program.”
The Republican House Majority Conference passed a Budget Resolution on February 25, 2025 that directs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to cut spending under its jurisdiction by $880 billion in order to fund $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP. While Republicans have ruled out cuts to Medicare, when Medicare is set aside, Medicaid accounts for 93 percent of the funding under the committee’s jurisdiction, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found in a March 5 analysis.
Even if all non-Medicaid and CHIP spending were eliminated, the committee would still need to cut federal spending on Medicaid and CHIP by well over hundreds of billions of dollars to meet the President’s demands to fund tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. The math is conclusive: Major cuts to Medicaid are the only way to meet the President’s budget resolution requirements.
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.