Healthcare in Crisis: Why We Must Preserve and Strengthen Medicaid

Medicaid is our nation’s public health insurance program, ensuring individuals with limited income or resources have access to the healthcare they need. Across the country, Medicaid covers healthcare for children, pregnant women, seniors, individuals with disabilities, adults with mental illness and individuals who are designated as low-income. In Connecticut, Yale New Haven Health is the largest provider of Medicaid services to these populations.

As home to two of only seven critically necessary Safety Net Hospitals throughout the state, Yale New Haven Health is proud to deliver world-class academic medical care to patients across our region, no matter their income or insurance status. However, Medicaid is current reimbursed at a level which means we are paid the least when we care for the patients who need us the most. In 2024 alone, our Health System’s costs exceeded our reimbursement by a combined total of $450 million caring for 663,509 Medicaid beneficiaries. As the cost of delivering care increases, losses of this level are threatening our organization’s sustainability in providing this care to our patients.

Our elected leaders can save our healthcare system and maintain access to care by preserving and strengthening our Medicaid program. This means protecting Medicaid against cuts at the federal level, while shoring up the system statewide through increased Medicaid reimbursement rates. We need your help. We are calling on our patients, staff members, and community to help us tell our legislative leaders and state officials to invest in Medicaid.

How You Can Help

1. Get educated. We have built a toolkit of Medicaid reimbursement resources that you can use to learn more about the issue, and how it affects YNHHS and our patients. You can also learn more through these resources:
   1. Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare
   2. American Hospital Association Report: Cost of Caring
   3. Connecticut Hospital Association: Low Medicaid Reimbursement Rates Threaten Vital Services
   4. Connecticut Hospital Association and Kaufman Hall Report: Current State of Connecticut Hospital Finances
2. Talk to friends and family. When our healthcare organizations are in crisis, patients suffer. Talk to your network about this issue and encourage them to write to their legislators to be part of the solution.
3. Share our Medicaid fact sheet to help your colleagues and community visualize the impact of Medicaid underpayment.
4. Write to your elected leaders. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing a link to an online petition campaign that can be easily signed and sent to your elected leaders to advocate for increased Medicaid reimbursement.
5. Work with our communications team to speak with media, or contribute Op-Eds or Letters to the Editor to your local paper
   1. Reach out to ynhhpublicrelations@ynhh.org for more information.
6. Continue engaging. Our education efforts are just the beginning – be on the lookout for further opportunities to lend your voice to this crucial effort.

Thank you for your continued support on this effort – every voice matters.

 

Click on the image to expand