The Medicaid program is insurance paid with 50% federal and 50% state funds. This insurance provides health care for low-income adults and children.

It pays for physician care, prescription drugs, services to victims of domestic abuse, physical rehabilitation services, home health care and services for pregnant women.

The people affected are commonly called the indigent. Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Fact Sheet reports that the elderly and disabled who are 30% of the population get 78% of the funds, 35% of the births are funded and two-thirds of the nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid.

U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Pa., is supporting legislation to cancel $880 billion federal dollars, half of the state’s funding, for services to people with the most need. The financial impact on these human services in our community would be devastating.

Lawrence D. Carter

Altoona