PORTSMOUTH - At last night's town council meeting, Portsmouth unanimously passed a resolution urging the President, the Governor and the United States Congress to strengthen and protect Medicaid funding for the millions of Americans who depend on it for their health care.   Sending the message that the program has been an essential part of the American health care system for forty years, the resolution also calls on elected officials to maintain the current levels of Medicaid eligibility, funding and the scope of services and to preserve this vital state and federal partnership to protect the health, safety and welfare of all the state's citizens. 

Rhode Islanders depend on the funding the Medicaid program provides, yet we could lose over $55 million over the next four years if Congress goes ahead with proposed cuts totaling $10 billion.  Over 190,000 Rhode Islanders depend on Medicaid funding for vital health care coverage and services, including hundreds of Portsmouth residents.  Medicaid recipients include low-income working families, pregnant women and children, seniors, and people with disabilities.  Funding from this vital state and federal partnership also supports our hospitals, nursing homes, community and mental health centers and children's school health services. 

"Health care costs are skyrocketing and more and more Rhode Islanders need the Medicaid program for the health care coverage and services it provides.  Rhode Island's health care crisis will only get worse if there's any reduction in Medicaid funding," said Emmanuel, an organizer with Rhode Island for Health Care.  "By passing this resolution, the Town Council sent a clear message that they support the vital assistance the Medicaid program provides for working families in Portsmouth."

"I'm concerned with the health care crisis the state is in and the over 120,000 residents without health care insurance including hundreds in Portsmouth," said Don Stuehler, a Portsmouth health care voter.   "Cuts to Medicaid could increase the numbers in the ranks of the uninsured in the state."

Portsmouth is the twelfth town in the state to adopt this resolution.  Providence, Warwick, Newport, Central Falls, Narragansett, North Providence, Johnston, South Kingstown, Cranston, Woonsocket and Pawtucket also passed a similar resolution and several other cities and towns across the state are scheduling votes on upcoming Council dockets. 

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Rhode Island for Health Care is a uniting working families, small business owners, seniors, community leaders, and health care professionals who are concerned about the skyrocketing cost of health care.  As part of Americans for Health Care -- a project of SEIU, the nation's largest health care union -- we are working to secure quality affordable health care for every man, woman, and child in America.