"Politicians Claim Cutting Medicaid Spending Will Ensure Funding for Schools..."
Original article written by Edwin Park for Future Ed
K-12 education and Medicaid are often cast as competing state budget priorities, and given this past year's economic and health crisis, Medicaid spending is at risk of being reduced. A new analysis for the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families suggests that preserving Medicaid and the flow of federal Medicaid dollars to states is essential to maintaining steady funding for K-12 schools, showing how the two are both important and interconnected. The Trump administration's moves to cute federal Medicaid spending would put that burden on individual states and would likely leave less money in their budgets for K-12 education. Beyond the overall funding, Medicaid pays directly for about $4.5 billion in school-based health services, including support for students with disabilities and students who would not have access to healthcare otherwise. Reducing federal Medicaid funding would directly affect the services of School-Based Health Centers in schools across the nation. To cut back on Medicaid during a pandemic and economic recession would have direct consequences to school children and their families who rely on these services which will be especially vital in the upcoming academic year.
For Resources related to SBHCs and Advocacy efforts, visit the New York School-Based Health Alliance and their Advocacy Center
