Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) addressed concerns regarding the ongoing government shutdown. Matthew Schmid, Health and Harvest Campaign Director at AFPI, criticized certain members of Congress for their approach to healthcare policy.
Schmid said that "radicals in Congress are holding the government hostage to undo the Working Families Tax Credit’s (WFTC) reforms to the Medicaid emergency care system." He argued that one significant issue causing overcrowded emergency rooms is their use as primary care facilities for undocumented immigrants. According to Schmid, this practice results in "long lines, overworked hospital staff, and delays care for Americans with genuine medical emergencies."
The WFTC had previously implemented reforms aimed at addressing these issues by shifting some funding responsibilities to states. This move was intended to encourage better management of emergency care systems and close loopholes that allowed misuse of federal Medicaid funding. However, Schmid claims that certain congressional members are attempting to reverse these changes by leveraging the government shutdown.
"Americans deserve a healthcare system and a Congress that serve them first," Schmid concluded.
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