Medicaid Cuts and Caregiving in Congress: Andy Kim

Efforts to reverse Medicaid cuts and make caregiving a national priority will continue into the next Congress even if they stall during the lame duck period, according to Senator Andy Kim (D, New Jersey).

In an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care^®, Kim discussed the odds of passing health care legislation before the lame duck session ends, the coming effects of Medicaid cuts, and the case for a caregiving agenda in the new Congress.

Uncertain Odds for Lame Duck Action

Asked whether any near-term solutions could cross the finish line during the lame duck period, Kim said he could not offer much clarity. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next two months. I don’t even know what’s going to happen in the next two days, given just how chaotic our politics are,” Kim said.

The senator tied that climate to voter behavior, saying people turned out at extraordinary levels because they do not want chaos and divisiveness and want to see change. Kim said the push to address several issues before the session ends will continue regardless.

Why Medicaid Cuts Remain a Priority

Chief among those issues is reversing the Medicaid cuts enacted last year, which Kim said are about to begin taking effect. “Immediately we’re going to see huge drops in coverage in New Jersey or all over the country,” Kim said. “I’d like to stop that.”

Kim plans to raise the issue as the congressional session closes and described the current appropriations process as a chance to fund services at levels that give people the care they need. Kim was not certain that bipartisan support would materialize. The senator said he hopes colleagues who voted for the cuts heard from Americans on Election Day that voters consider them cruel and as taking away care from those who need it most.

If the effort falls short in this Congress, it will return. “I am going to put it right back up in the next Congress with different majorities and different gavels and different hands, and we’ll continue to press on this relentlessly,” Kim said.

How Caregiving Fits the Agenda

Kim said the new Congress must make “the need for care in America” a priority. In the weeks before the election, Kim traveled to Iowa, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, New Hampshire, and other states, and spoke at events about caring for Kim’s father. At every one, a line of five to 10 people or more formed afterward to share their own caregiving stories.

“They’re just really in search of support right now,” Kim said.

Building a Positive Health Care Vision

Kim said that opposing the president’s initiatives is not enough. Reversing the Medicaid cuts and providing more support for people in the marketplace are priorities, Kim said, but a broader vision is needed, including a proposal for Medicare at home.

“I don’t want to come into a Congress just thinking about what we’re against,” Kim said.

Kim framed the election result as a response to financial strain, noting that millions of Americans voted because they are struggling with the high costs of living and of health care. “Yes, we can celebrate the win, but we cannot lose sight of why we won, which is a cry for help from the American people,” Kim said.