The Democratic Party used its weekly address for Memorial Day weekend to warn of the negative impact the Trump administration’s budget would have on veterans’ healthcare benefits if it came to pass.
“We owe our veterans more than a debt of gratitude for their service. We owe our veterans our steadfast commitment to providing them with high-quality healthcare, access to mental healthcare services, a safe place to call home, affordable college and career training programs,” Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said Friday.
The U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves veteran said “not every veteran has access” to VA healthcare facilities. Approximately 2 million veterans or one-in-10 rely on Medicaid for healthcare, which the budget proposed restructuring.
“The Republican plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act cuts more than $800 billion from Medicaid. This plan combined with President Trump’s budget proposal would bump that cut to $1 trillion,” Carper said. “At best, this would significantly scale back our veterans’ Medicaid benefits and, at worst, cause them to lose their benefits altogether.”
Carper said the “best” way to honor veterans is helping those who are still alive by ensuring their health benefits continue without changes that the Trump administration says will cut down on spending to save money in the long run.
