New Trump Administration Medicaid Rule Threatens Health Care for Arizonans With Serious Illnesses

TUCSON — The public comment period ended for the Trump administration’s new Medicaid rule that would create new barriers for Arizonans with serious illnesses to access health care.

The rule is designed to affirm changes made by Congressman Juan Ciscomani's Republican Tax Law that will kick millions of Americans off their health care coverage and raise costs for millions more.

Garrett Newell,  a Medicaid recipient in Tucson, submitted the below in a public comment to the Trump administration:

"Walking has never come easily for me. Throughout my life, I've undergone multiple surgeries, countless doctor's appointments, and years of physical therapy. Every step I take today is possible because of the medical care I've received and the support that's allowed me to build a more independent life.

That care comes with an incredibly high price tag. Like so many Arizonans with disabilities, I've been able to rely on Medicaid — called AHCCCS here in Arizona — to afford the treatment and services that make everyday life possible. Thanks to Medicaid, I'm able to walk."

“Congressman Juan Ciscomani already voted to make it harder for Arizonans to get health care, and now the Trump administration is putting that policy into practice with a new rule that would make it harder for sick Arizonans to get the care they need,” said Andrea Moreno, executive director of Honest Arizona. "Arizonans should let Congressman Ciscomani know that he's the reason Arizonans could lose their health care."

###