Jamila Michener

Assistant Professor of Government

Jamila Michener, an expert on poverty and racial inequality and assistant professor of government at Cornell University, warns that the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid will imperil many Americans.

Michener says: 

“The senate health care bill has finally been revealed and it is no wonder the Republicans fought so hard to keep it a secret; it should have remained buried in a dark place. The bill entails devastating cuts to Medicaid that will imperil the health of the most vulnerable Americans. Just as troubling is that after gutting Medicaid fiscally, Republicans intend to give states even more flexibility than they already have, so that they can fashion the program as they see fit. This is a sure path to geographic inequality and draconian retrenchment that will lead to massive disenrollment from the program while making life harder for those who remain enrolled.

“This bill will cause economic and physical suffering for families that rely on Medicaid. Worse still, it’s bad for democracy. Policies like this send a strong message to Americans in need: you’re on your own, your government does not care, and your citizenship is second-class.”