Impact of Medicaid cuts could extend beyond those enrolled
Proposed budget cuts at the Federal level could have cascading effects on Cook County children, medical services, and county taxes.
Medicaid, known as Medical Assistance in Minnesota, is facing cuts as the Minnesota Legislature and Governor Tim Walz attempt to balance a state budget with reduced federal funding.
The lack of Medicaid support would affect everyone in the county.
“I think it’s fair to say that the cuts would have a ripple effect on the community in terms of the compensation for providers and services that are provided to residents,” Cook County’s Public Health and Human Services Director, Alison McIntyre, told WTIP.
Medicaid is used by a variety of people, from those with disabilities that prevent them from working to families who rely on the program to provide reimbursement for employer-sponsored insurance.
As of 2023, more than 20% of Cook County residents and more than 50% of the county’s children were enrolled in Medicaid.
Cuts to Medicaid funding could also impact older residents, especially those in North Shore Health’s Care Center.
“Depending upon the cuts, 14% of our hospital patients are covered by Medicaid, and 75% of our Care Center residents are covered by Medicaid; the impact to these people would be devastating,” Kimber Wraalstad, CEO of North Shore Health, told WTIP.
Even those not receiving Medicaid could see a change in their quality of healthcare. Medicaid reimburses medical providers such as clinics and hospitals. A lack of funding could lead to uncompensated care for these providers and, in turn, a reduction in the services that clinics and hospitals can offer patients.
Cook County receives about $7 million in Medicaid funding annually to keep necessary services operating and available to those enrolled in the program and the community as a whole. The proposed cuts could pressure Cook County residents to make the difficult choice between raising local taxes to cover these services or losing them altogether.
“SMC [Sawtooth Mountain Clinic] is in good financial health, and we will work diligently to avoid any reduction in services. However, the proposed Medicaid cuts would affect SMC’s bottom line – and we will have difficult decisions to make in the future if these cuts take effect,” Sawtooth Mountain Clinic CEO, Kate Surbaugh, told WTIP.
It’s hard to know how these cuts will impact the community. The uncertainty of Medicaid’s future is challenging for the county and its medical providers. However, McIntyre encourages people to let the state hear their voice on the subject.
“One way to get involved is just by engaging with our local, state, and federal lawmakers, letting them know that Medicaid is important in Cook County,” she said.
Visit the government’s Department of Human Services website to learn more about Medicaid’s value to Minnesota residents.
Apply to join the Cook County Citizen Advisory Council by visiting their website.
If you are currently enrolled in the Medicaid Program and would like to speak to WTIP about the impact these proposed cuts would have on you, please email josh@wtip.org or use the WTIP tip line.
WTIP’s Josh Hinke spoke with Alison McIntyre about the uncertain future of Medicaid funding. The audio of that interview can be found below.
Josh Hinke March 28, 2025
