Rep. Miller-Meeks offers Iowa hospitals next to nothing compared to the devastating cuts she voted for
Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is touting a $209 million investment for Iowa hospitals, but this one-time funding pales in comparison to the devastating Medicaid cuts in the Republican Tax Law she voted for — which will strip Iowa hospitals of an estimated $7-$12 billion over the next decade.
While Miller-Meeks brags about this investment her actions in Congress have led to several hospital cuts in Iowa this year:
The MercyOne Ottumwa clinic closed in February, leaving hundreds of patients and 30 staff members seeking new healthcare options and employment.
MercyOne in Clinton announced that it will be ending labor and delivery services, making it more difficult and more dangerous to deliver a baby in rural Iowa as access is reduced across the state.
MercyOne announced layoffs in Des Moines and Mason City, leaving more hardworking Iowans looking for new jobs.
The $209 million touted by Miller-Meeks is a Band-Aid for Iowa hospitals’ compared to the $12 billion bullet wound she voted for. To put the numbers in perspective, it is roughly equivalent to having $1,000/mo rent, making a one-time payment of $17.42, and expecting to be covered for the year. Even worse, Miller-Meeks knows that many of Iowa’s rural hospitals were already struggling before she voted for the largest ever cut to Medicaid in the Republican Tax Law.
Mazie Stilwell, executive director of Progress Iowa, said that Iowans need more than hollow gestures.
"While Congresswoman Miller-Meeks touts this $209 million investment, Iowa families are watching their health care access disappear before their eyes,” Stilwell said. “A one-time funding drop in the ocean doesn't address the systemic devastation caused by Medicaid cuts that will strip billions from our health care system. This isn't about politics — it's about whether families can see a doctor when they're sick, whether rural communities can deliver babies safely, and whether hardworking people can access the care they need without going bankrupt.”