Tri-Cities seniors rely on Medicaid. Protect Apple Health in Columbia Basin | Opinion

Right now, Congress is debating the future of Medicaid in the United States, and what they decide will have an impact on millions of people across the country, including tens of thousands of people in Central and Eastern Washington. Here at home, our state legislature is grappling with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit - and Federal cuts to Medicaid would make that problem even worse and threaten care for thousands of seniors and people with disabilities.

For nearly nine years, I have worked at the Regency Canyon Lakes nursing center in Kennewick. We are a 53-bed senior living community that offers 24-hour care, including skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapy, and long term care. The average age of our residents is 79 years old.

About a quarter of residents at our facility are on Apple Health, what we call Medicaid here in Washington. Everyone’s story is different, but typically our Apple Health residents have no other places they can go to receive round-the-clock care to keep them healthy and thriving. They are often with us because they have no family able to house them and take care of them.

In their own words, without Medicaid, many of them would be either homeless or at risk of fatal health issues.

It has been widely reported that Congress is considering deep cuts to Medicaid, in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars. If they do move forward with cuts, this will have a catastrophically negative impact on our residents and other people throughout the Tri-Cities and the region.

The 4th Congressional District, which stretches from Okanogan County down to here, is the most Medicaid-dependent district in Washington, and one of the most dependent in the country.

Nearly 300,000 people in the 4th district are enrolled in Medicaid - almost 40% of the population of Central Washington.

Congressman Dan Newhouse has honorably represented the 4th Congressional District for years, and now numerous reports from Washington, DC are stating that he is one of the key votes in the US House to potentially protect Medicaid.

Last week, he was one of the deciding votes to approve the House’s budget resolution. But, there are more votes to come, and more chances to show Congressman Newhouse how much Medicaid means to our communities.

Already, receiving care on Medicaid is difficult in rural communities like most of Central Washington. Patients often have to drive hours to find a provider or facility that takes Medicaid and has capacity to see them.

At the same time, Medicaid is already falling behind high inflation that is driving up the cost of goods and a living wage for our caregivers. Even under current Medicaid reimbursement rates, it is getting harder and harder to make the numbers work. These situations will likely only get worse if Congress approves cuts.

Because of our state budget deficit, our State Legislature is currently considering delaying critical Medicaid funding for nursing homes for several years. This would put us all even further behind, since state Medicaid support is based on the costs of goods and wages for caregivers in 2022. Since then, historic inflation has made it more challenging than ever to provide care for those who rely on Medicaid. Federal cuts to Medicaid will make this situation even worse, and I hope that our state can show the other Washington a better approach to health care than reducing funding when it is needed the most.

Every day I am at work, I am inspired. Many of our clients have had difficult experiences in their lives, from economic instability to illness and death in their families. But at Canyon Lakes, we have created a space that doesn’t just take care of them-- we’ve also created a community. Our residents receive the medication management and physical therapy they need, and they forge friendships. We work hard every day to help them find health and happiness.

If Medicaid is cut by Congress, this goes away. Our residents, and thousands of people across Central Washington, will be deprived of essential care that they need. They will not be able to afford necessary procedures or life-saving medication. Important diagnoses like early detection of cancer will no longer happen. Moms and babies will no longer have access to covered prenatal care and deliveries.

Our neighbors and friends and family will suffer. Congress must do the right thing and protect Medicaid and Apple Health from any cuts. People in Central Washington are depending on them.

This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.