MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Concerned West Virginians gathered outside the offices of U.S. Representative Riley Moore and Senator Shelley Moore Capito on Monday, voicing strong opposition to the House Republicans’ recently approved budget plan.
Protestors fear that the proposed budget could severely impact Medicaid, jeopardizing healthcare access for millions of low-income and disabled individuals who depend on the program. West Virginia has one of the highest Medicaid enrollment rates in the country—covering half of the state’s children and a quarter of its adult population, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Beyond individual coverage, demonstrators also raised concerns about how cuts could affect hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities that serve vulnerable populations.
“West Virginia has an aging population, and many rely on Medicaid for long-term care,” said Ron Allen, a member of Mountaineers Indivisible. “We don’t have big, wealthy care centers here. People depend on programs like this.”
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Retired therapist Connie Banta echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for lawmakers to prioritize constituents’ well-being. “We have to stand up and show that we care, because we’re not seeing that same commitment from them,” she said.
Protesters also called attention to potential reductions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to more than 18% of West Virginians, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Barbara Fleischauer, another Mountaineers Indivisible member, warned that such cuts would directly harm local communities. “If you look around, you’ll see that your friends and neighbors either use Medicaid and SNAP now or have relied on them in the past,” she said. “This isn’t what people voted for.”
During the demonstration, property managers requested that the protestors leave the area in front of Rep. Moore’s office, but that didn’t stop their message from being heard .