Disability Pride Month: Patrick Cokley on the Impact of Medicaid Cuts

July is Disability Pride Month — a time to honor the contributions of disabled individuals while also confronting the barriers they continue to face. This year, those barriers may be growing.

As Congress moves forward with the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” advocates are warning that the legislation’s proposed $793 billion in Medicaid cuts could have devastating consequences for millions of Americans. The bill, which passed the House in May and is now under Senate review, could increase the number of uninsured Americans by nearly 8 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Radio Catskill’s Jamie Case speaks with Patrick Cokley, senior program officer for Equity and Social Justice Partnerships at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, about the disproportionate impact these cuts could have on disabled Americans and their caregivers. What’s at stake? The potential loss of essential services like home and community-based care, increased institutionalization, and further strain on rural hospitals and the direct care workforce.

Cokley also shares advice for individuals facing possible disruptions in their Medicaid coverage and discusses strategies to protect access to quality care and understand how cuts may impact them.