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Iowans discuss what the programs mean to them and their families
Des Moines - On July 30, 2025 is the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and Medicare. These programs have made medical care affordable for millions of Americans. Today is a day that should be a joyous occasion, but instead is marred by the devastating cuts to Medicaid Republicans recently passed into law.
Real people are going to be impacted by these cuts. Real people are going to lose their health insurance.
The Iowa Democratic Party let Iowans who rely on Medicaid tell their own stories during a news conference this morning.
Watch the whole news conference by clicking here and entering the passcode: e+j!FD3b
Tara Guion, of Adel: “[My son] Luca was born at just 25 weeks … he spent 141 days in the NICU … We were very overwhelmed. We had no idea what this looked like for us. We had private insurance through Blue Cross, Blue Shield. But a social worker came to our hospital room and was telling us all about how we would qualify for Medicaid since we were going to be there for over 30 days. So this took so much weight off of our shoulders, because Luca’s bill at the end of this was 1.7 million dollars … Medicaid has just been very important for our family. And yeah, I will do whatever it takes to keep fighting for it.”
Sandy Holland, of Audubon County: “My son Mark, who is a type one diabetic, he has a job at a grocery store, but can’t afford the insurance. So without Medicaid he can’t pay for his insulin, and he has long acting and short acting with meals. I don’t know if they realize how expensive Lantus and stuff is. I mean, we’re talking over for one syringe is over $150, you know, for cost. And when you’re making minimum wage, you know, at a grocery store. How is that going to help? You can’t do it.”
“Republican Medicaid cuts are going to impact everyday Iowans, regardless of what our Republican representatives may claim,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart. “The GOP budget bill will lead to folks with long-term care conditions who need insurance losing coverage and facing benefit cuts down the road as Iowa loses $9 billion in Medicaid funding. Iowa’s representatives deserve to lose their jobs for not protecting deserving Iowans.”