Fargo, ND – The ongoing discussion in Washington D.C. to cut Medicaid federal funding has sent shockwaves throughout the country, leaving many North Dakota immigrant families worried about their healthcare coverage.
Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, provides health insurance coverage to low-income individuals and families. In North Dakota, over 70,000 people rely on Medicaid for their healthcare needs, including many immigrant families.
“I’m really worried about what’s going to happen to my family’s healthcare,” said Amira Ali, a Somali immigrant living in Fargo. “My husband and I both work hard, but we can’t afford to buy private insurance. Medicaid is our only option.”
Ali’s concerns are shared by many other immigrant families in North Dakota, who are already struggling to make ends meet. Cutting Medicaid federal funding would not only affect their healthcare coverage but also their economic stability.
“We’re not just talking about healthcare, we’re talking about people’s livelihoods,” said Dr. Sarah Johnson, a healthcare provider at the Fargo-Moorhead Community Health Center. “Many of our patients rely on Medicaid to access basic healthcare services. If funding is cut, we’ll see a significant increase in uncompensated care, which will be devastating for our community.”
The North Dakota Department of Human Services has expressed concerns about the potential impact of Medicaid funding cuts on the state’s healthcare system.
“We’re closely monitoring the situation and working with our federal partners to ensure that North Dakotans continue to have access to quality healthcare,” said a spokesperson for the department.
As the debate over Medicaid funding continues, immigrant families in North Dakota remain anxious about their future.
“We just want to be able to take care of our families and contribute to our community,” said Ali. “We hope that our leaders will consider the impact of their decisions on families like mine.”