WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of health advocacy organizations advocating for Medicaid expansion in the South will host a virtual press conference on Tuesday, March 25 from 1-2 p.m. ET to highlight the devastating impact of proposed federal and state level Medicaid cuts on Southern communities. Southern advocates, national policy experts from Community Catalyst, and individuals directly affected by these threats will share personal stories and discuss the urgent need to protect and expand Medicaid access in the region.

The event will occur just days after the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a law that expanded Medicaid coverage and provided millions with access to affordable health care. New proposals to slash Medicaid funding at both the federal and state levels threaten to strip millions of their health care, deepening racial and economic inequities in the South.

WHO:

State advocates, storytellers, and health care and economic policy experts from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

• Khaylah Scott, Program Manager, Mississippi Health Advocacy Program
• April Holman, Executive Director, Alliance for a Healthy Kansas
• Laura Robeson, Parent of a Child with Disabilities
• Maria Sutter, Floridian with disability
• Danielle Branch, Health Policy and Advocacy Associate, Tennessee Justice Center
• Dr. David Keely, Retired medical professional, President, Health Care for All – South Carolina
• Presdalene Harris, Organizing Director, Alabama Arise
• Angelica McCain, Alabamian in the coverage gap
• Leah Chan, Director of Health Justice, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
• Nicole Dozier, Director, Health Advocacy Project at the NC Justice Center

• National partner: Community Catalyst

WHEN: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 (1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET)

WHERE: Virtual – Register Here

Medicaid is a critical lifeline for millions, serving more than 72 million people across the country, including adults and families with low-incomes, people with complex health needs and disabilities, and people over the age of 65. However, politicians at both the state and federal levels continue to propose cuts that would leave people without care and drive-up medical debt.

If enacted, these cuts will:

• Strip coverage for children, seniors in long-term care, and people with disabilities.
• Push more families into medical debt and increasing out-of-pocket costs.
• Force rural hospitals and clinics to shut down, especially in states that already refused Medicaid expansion.
• Hurt local economies, as Medicaid dollars support health care jobs and services in communities that rely on them.

As leaders in Congress and state legislatures continue to block Medicaid expansion while actively working to gut existing Medicaid programs, this press call will highlight the consequences of these proposed cuts and call for immediate action to protect and expand Medicaid.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Jossie Barroso at jossie@healthyfla.org