"Texas' Healthcare Funding: A Moral Battle for the Soul of the State"

In the heart of Texas, a battle is brewing that goes beyond politics and economics. It's a moral battle for the soul of the state, where the fate of millions hangs in the balance. The proposed Medicaid cuts, totaling a staggering $57.3 billion, threaten to dismantle the healthcare infrastructure that supports the most vulnerable Texans. This is not just about numbers; it's about the lives of the elderly, the disabled, and the young who rely on Medicaid for their survival.

On March 20, 2025, nurses from Ascension Seton Medical Center (ASMCA) will gather at the district office of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in Austin, Texas. Along with community organizations and Texas Medicaid and CHIP patients, they will present a check made out to the "Billionaire Class” paid for by “Working People” totaling $57,284,033,548 – the amount of Medicaid funding in Texas at risk if Sen. Cornyn votes to gut Medicaid to fund tax cuts for billionaires. This symbolic act is a stark reminder of the human cost of these proposed cuts. Monica Gonzalez, RN at ASMCA, puts it bluntly: "It is the moral choice to ensure that all Texans have access to the care they so desperately need, which is why we are calling on Sen. Cornyn to preserve health care funding."

The stakes are high. Sen. Cornyn has more than 4.1 million constituents – nearly 14 percent of Texas’ population – who receive life-saving health care access provided by Texas Medicaid and CHIP. These programs are the lifeline for the elderly, disabled, and young, paid for primarily by federal Medicaid funding. Vanessa Villarreal, another RN at ASMCA, echoes the sentiment: "Our patients who would face the worst impacts from the proposed reckless cuts are the elderly, the disabled, the young. It is shameful that our Texan representatives in D.C. would even consider taking one cent from our communities’ health care. Our patients deserve dignity and care regardless of social status or wealth."

The proposed cuts are not just about healthcare; they are about the very fabric of our society. Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing home care, covering more than 6 in 10 nursing home residents, and it pays for nearly half of all births in the state. If these cuts go through, the consequences will be devastating. Nursing homes and community health centers will struggle to stay open, leaving thousands of Texans without access to care. Rural communities, which already face healthcare access challenges, will be hit particularly hard. A Georgetown University study indicates that Medicaid plays a larger role in providing health coverage to Texas adults in small towns and rural communities than adults in the state’s urban areas. Among Texas adults younger than 65, about 14.3% of those in small towns and rural areas get their health insurance through Medicaid/CHIP, compared to about 7.7% in metro areas.

The proposed cuts are a moral failure, a betrayal of the trust that Texans place in their representatives. It is a choice between prioritizing the health and well-being of the most vulnerable or lining the pockets of the wealthy. The nurses and community organizations protesting on March 20 are not just fighting for their patients; they are fighting for the soul of Texas. They are fighting for a state where healthcare is a right, not a privilege. They are fighting for a state where the elderly, the disabled, and the young are not left to fend for themselves.

The battle for Texas' healthcare funding is not just about numbers; it's about the lives of millions of Texans. It's about the moral choice between prioritizing the health and well-being of the most vulnerable or lining the pockets of the wealthy. The nurses and community organizations protesting on March 20 are not just fighting for their patients; they are fighting for the soul of Texas. They are fighting for a state where healthcare is a right, not a privilege. They are fighting for a state where the elderly, the disabled, and the young are not left to fend for themselves. The choice is clear: stand with the nurses and community organizations fighting for the soul of Texas, or stand with the billionaires who prioritize profits over people. The future of Texas hangs in the balance.