CLEVELAND — Hundreds of thousands of people in Northeast Ohio could be affected as lawmakers in Washington discuss potential cutsto vital programs. That's leading some to wonder how people will cope.
We asked local administrators who work with these programs what it would mean and what the current need is now. All of this comes on the heels of a new study released today that covers the ripple effects of big-time cuts.
WHAT SNAP DID FOR ME
“So, what was it like growing up?” we asked Jasmine Thomas.
“It was hard. It was tough,” she replied, reflecting on her childhood that included a single-mother-five-children family life. “I remember the days where we would just be hungry. You know? Just trying to figure out where our next meal was going to come from,” said Thomas.
Her family received SNAP benefits that provided essential food. Now, hearing that SNAP could see cuts under a new U.S. House resolution is impactful.
“It’s devastating,” said Thomas. “I think about girls like me growing up. You know? My brother growing up.”
EFFECT OF POTENTIAL CUTS TO SNAP
“Potential cuts to SNAP are very upsetting,” said Kristin Warzocha who is the President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. We talked to her about how the House Committee on Agriculture could cut $230 billion during the next 10 years. SNAP is one program that falls under that committee.
Warzocha said the food bank served 424,000 unduplicated people in six counties last year alone.
“The last thing our country needs is cuts to SNAP,” she told us.
WHAT ABOUT CUTS TO MEDICAID?
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has Medicaid under its umbrella. That committee could cut $880 billion overall, with many predicting Medicaid would take hits.
“Medicaid and SNAP are the largest programs we run in Cuyahoga County,” said Kevin Gowan, the director of Job and Family Services in Cuyahoga County. He said 25-30% of the county’s entire population uses Medicaid. If there are cuts, that threatens them and the expansion program. “The ability for people to tap into Medicaid…to remain healthy, to keep their insurance is vital for their survival,” said Gowan.
NEW STUDY ON IMPACTS RELEASED
“I think these budget discussions are going to be sort of tough. This is a tricky issue,” said Leighton Ku, who is a professor of health policy at George Washington University and director of the Center for Health Policy Research.
Ku, with help from The Commonwealth Fund, just released a study that shows devastating ripple effects to governments, jobs, and taxes from big federal cuts. “In addition to everything else, you’re really doing things to hurt the state economies that cause unemployment to go up that just make it harder for state and local governments to function,” said Ku.
And while the exact cuts aren’t known just yet, senators like Ohio's Bernie Moreno have said they don't want to touch Medicaid. “Republicans are not going to cut Medicaid benefits at all,” he told us.
And Thomas, who now works for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank said people like her family should be top of mind for politicians.
“Have they ever been through it themselves? It’s hard to tell a story from a perspective that you’ve never been in,” she told us.
The cuts come as the federal government looks to help balance its budget, with some estimates putting America in a $36 trillion hole.
