Deep Medicaid cuts could upend health care, jobs, and the dignity of Missouri families—here’s what’s unfolding.
As the CEO of At Home Care and a healthcare professional with decades of experience navigating the Medicaid system, Missouri is on the brink of a public health catastrophe. The proposed federal legislation, nicknamed the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ promises sweeping tax reform. But behind the sound bites lies a brutal truth: Missouri could lose up to $3.9 billion annually in Medicaid funding, crippling the systems that keep people healthy, housed, and alive.
These proposed cuts aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet—they are the lifeblood of healthcare for children, seniors, disabled individuals, and low-income families across the state. Nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, and home care agencies rely on Medicaid reimbursements to stay afloat. When funding disappears, so do services. In practical terms, this means mass discharges from long-term care facilities, more emergency room visits, and overwhelmed providers struggling to fill the gaps.
It’s a dangerous myth that Medicare covers long-term care. It doesn’t. Medicaid does. Cutting Medicaid reduces the number of long-term care beds and forces facilities to favor short-term Medicare rehabilitation models. This shift leaves countless seniors without placement options, placing enormous emotional and financial stress on families. Programs like Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)—which allow people to receive care in their own homes—are labeled ‘optional’ under Medicaid and are among the first to be slashed. At Home Care is already preparing for this reality by expanding services to help families transition and preserve care continuity.
Healthcare professionals—particularly in rural and underserved areas—could face sweeping job losses as facilities shrink or shut down. Hospitals will experience higher readmission rates, triggering federal penalties, while insurance premiums for all Missourians will rise as hospitals try to recoup costs from elsewhere. The economic ripple effect will be felt far beyond healthcare, weakening Missouri’s economy and destabilizing the workforce.
Even more troubling is the quiet removal of funding for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. This watchdog service is a vital advocate for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Without it, there is no neutral third party to investigate complaints or ensure accountability. With 70% of Americans needing long-term care at some point, stripping this safeguard leaves too many at risk of neglect and abuse.
This isn’t about saving money—it’s about shifting values. Politicians use coded language like ‘entitlement reform’ and ‘dependency’ to justify cuts and pit struggling communities against one another. Medicaid recipients are painted as burdens rather than neighbors, teachers, and caregivers. The goal is not to fix the system but to starve it—and then blame it for failing. Cutting Medicaid isn’t fiscal responsibility; it’s moral failure dressed in a suit and tie.
We must not accept this future as inevitable. Every citizen has the power to resist this erosion of care and dignity. Contact your legislators. Share your story. Vote. And know that agencies like At Home Care are ready to help those impacted by these cruel policies. Demonizing the poor is not acceptable. Healthcare is a human right. And we must fight to protect it.
About At Home Care
At Home Care is more than a CDS provider; it’s a trusted partner that understands the value of family, independence, and dignity. If you’re looking for care that puts your loved one first, At Home Care is the clear choice.
If you or a loved one need care but still want to maintain the freedom of living at home, At Home Care can help create a life full of comfort, health, and joy. Contact us today to book your free in-home consultation and see the difference for yourself.
#MedicaidCrisis #MissouriHealth #ProtectOurCare
