Nevadans Mark 61 Years of Medicaid and Medicare Amid Historical Federal Cuts

LINK TO VIDEO & PHOTOS

NEVADA - Today marks 61 years since President Lyndon B Johnson signed Medicaid and Medicare into law, landmark programs that have provided health coverage to seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families for six decades. Since their creation, the two programs have served as a lifeline for millions of Americans, offering a guarantee of care that would otherwise be out of reach. 

As Nevadans mark this anniversary, they do so under the shadow of last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which delivered historic cuts to Medicaid and put coverage at risk for hundreds of thousands of Nevadans. Advocates and recipients gathered today to share their own experiences with these programs and to warn of what further weakening of Medicaid and Medicare will mean for individuals and families across the state. 

Although Nevadans continue to rely on these programs every day, the federal cuts have created new uncertainty for patients, providers, and the state budget that supports them. Since taking office, Governor Joe Lombardo has done nothing to secure state funding to backfill federal Medicaid cuts, leaving Nevada families to absorb the consequences on their own. While the Trump administration has cut funding for the programs seniors and low-income families depend on, Lombardo has offered no public criticism of the federal cuts and no plan to protect Nevadans from their impact. 

Malu Lopez, Homecare Division Leader, SEIU 1107, issued the following statement:

“It is very important to talk about the 61st anniversary of Medicaid and Medicaid because of the great leaders who came before us that created something great for the nation, and not just for the nation, but for the world. It is important that there are many of us looking after the benefits, the services, and the mission for the sake of others. Medicaid and Medicare are extremely important and something that must exist, and be a topic of awareness within our communities. That way, those who have entered careers of service and love will not abandon them due to financial cutbacks.There are many people who tell me that they don’t care how much they get paid, they care about serving the people and providing programs that will help individuals and families. 

I know people who do not have family here in Nevada and I always tell them, you are not alone, I am fighting for you and there are many people in Nevada who are fighting for this cause. So I hope we can continue to see progress for Medicare and Medicaid, I hope we can continue to defend it and it will be a program that will be used by this diverse community. I hope we can continue with 61 more years of progress.”

Ivon Meneses, Activist, Mi Familia Vota, Medicaid Recipient, issued the following statement:

“I am a proud activist, grateful recipient of Medicaid, and volunteer with Mi Familia Vota. Latinos are workers and we’ve given so much to this country. Unfortunately we know that Latinos are overrepresented in industries that do not offer employer sponsored health insurance. We cannot afford any cuts to these critical important programs. For me this program is not just a line item in the state or federal budget like it is often treated. It is the absolute foundation of my daily survival and independence. 

Medical coverage is not an option for me. I’m barely able to access this essential medical treatment because it has been rolled backwards. With both diabetes and asthma in my family, I know that without this support I’d face impossible choices between paying for my basic housing and getting healthcare. That is a decision nobody should have to make. When programs like Medicaid and Medicare are underfunded by the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ real people like me are underfunded.”

Mathilda Miller, Public Affairs Director with Native Voters Alliance of Nevada, issued the following statement:

"Two years ago, my family's world changed forever when my Dad was diagnosed with an aggressive, fast-growing form of lung cancer. After a year of chemotherapy and countless hospital visits, we celebrated, believing the cancer was finally behind us. Then, just weeks ago, he took a fall, and doctors told us the cancer had returned and spread to his brain. For twelve hours, my family believed we were about to lose him. Today, he's recovering from brain surgery.

“Looking back, what stays with me most isn’t just the fear we experienced. It’s the fact that because of Medicare, throughout every doctor’s appointment, every hospital stay, every treatment, every surgery, and every setback, my family never had to ask one devastating question: ‘How are we going to pay for this?’ We were free to focus on the only thing that mattered: helping my Dad get better.

“As we celebrate Medicaid and Medicare’s 61st anniversary, I hope we remember that behind every health care debate are families praying for one more birthday, one more holiday, and one more chance to be together. That's what Medicare meant to my family. It gave us the freedom to spend every precious moment with my Dad, fully present for him when he needed us most.”

Lee McAllister, Executive Director, Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (NVAAP), issued the following statement:

“The Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics represents pediatricians across our state. From solo practices in rural counties to the neonatal intensive care units right here in Las Vegas. I'm not a physician myself. For the organization, I balance the checkbook. I keep the website running. And my favorite part — I coach our doctors on how to be advocates for the kids in their clinics. I get to be their voice at events like this one, so that they can stay where you actually want them — in the exam room, not at a podium. And I know Medicaid from the other side, too. I've been married to a pediatrician for 26 years, and before we moved to Nevada in early 2018, our adopted foster son in Massachusetts had care provided by the state Medicaid. And we were so lucky to have it.

But that's not this 61st birthday party's goodie bag. That's a rigged game. Nevada regulates its casinos, so everyone knows the odds going in. A kid's health care shouldn't be the one game in this state where nobody can see the odds. The Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the national AAP, think that the next 61 years should fix exactly that. No child's access to coverage should change depending on what side of a state line they're on. The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for automatic coverage for every newborn, no matter what state they're born in. That's our birthday wish.”

Shelbie Swartz, Executive Director of Battle Born Progress, issued the following statement: 

“When Medicaid and Medicare were signed into law 61 years ago, Nevada families were told they'd never again have to choose between their health and their savings. Donald Trump is unwinding that promise, and Joe Lombardo has watched it happen from the sidelines. This isn't an abstract policy, it’s a grandmother rationing insulin, it’s a mother watching her son’s disability coverage hang by a thread, it's a rural clinic deciding whether it can keep its doors open. Nevadans deserve a governor who shows up, not one who disappears. An estimated 70,000 Nevadans will lose medical coverage due to federal rule changes and cuts to these vital programs.

In June 2023, Governor Lombardo vetoed Assembly Bill 250, which sought to expand Medicare negotiated prescription drug caps. Fast forward to this year, President Trump recklessly announced that he will stop a federal subsidy program designed to keep prescription drug costs low under Medicare Part D for seniors. Both Trump and Lombardo seem fine leaving seniors to fend for themselves, which is heartless. On the anniversary today, it is clear we need better leadership who prioritize both Medicaid and Medicare for our most vulnerable community members.”

ABOUT MEDICAID AND NEVADA CHILDREN: Please see the AAP/Georgetown 1-pager that discusses Medicaid’s importance in Nevada. AAP/Georgetown handout: Medicaid is Vital to Nevada's Children

SPOKESPEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH

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