#DoctorsSpeakOut… State by State
Doctors speak out on their concerns over the new Senate health care bill
Across the United States, our physician colleagues are speaking out about how this bill might harm their patients, young and old (click within the quotes to see full videos). Look for additional stories and videos in coming days. Contribute your own story here.
Alaska
“The number of uninsured and/or underinsured people in this country is already at a ridiculous high…” — Devery Mitchell, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
“This bill will reduce the safety net for poor and mentally ill people…” — Tom Hunt, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
“I think it will negatively impact our seniors.” — Jacquelyn Serrano, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
Arizona
“I’m worried about the AHCA because it’s going to take insurance away from millions of people…” — Nicholas Vasquez, MD, Phoenix, AZ
“Medicaid supported two young parents when their little girl was diagnosed with Tay Sachs, a fatal genetic disease. Medicaid provided essential services and therapies that allowed her parents to provide the best possible end of life for their child.” — Susan Dalby, MD, Pediatrics, Portal, AZ
Arkansas
”The American Healthcare Bill is not only about repealing and replacing, it’s about repealing and regressing…” — Riley Lipschitz, MD, Primary Care, Little Rock, AR
California
“Cuts to Medicaid funded prenatal care harms mothers and their unborn children…” — Jane van Dis, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bakersfield, California
“The AHCA is bad for my patients…” — Kelly Motadel, MD MPH, Pediatrics, Escondido, CA
“Millions of California’s children rely on Medicaid for their healthcare…please don’t cap or cut our Medicaid. Our future depends on it.” — Jaime Friedman, MD, Pediatrics, San Diego, CA.
“I cannot do my part if you limit access to preventative health care services” — Lourdes Bahamonde, DO, Gastroenterology, Los Angeles, CA
“It’s been like a miracle to me to watch the hope in my patients’ eyes when they realize they have access to tools to stay healthy, to be able to continue to work and take care of themselves with dignity, since the expansion of Medicaid.” — Jennifer Hone, MD, Endocrinology, Santa Barbara, CA
“Medicaid provided [my patients] access to medically necessary testing and treatment to safely transition to [their] identified gender.” — Kristen Vieregger, MD, Endocrinology, Buena Park, CA
“With Medicaid my patients are able to be healthier, function as productive members of society — keep jobs, be parents, maintain their homes.” — Jessica Fielden, MD, Family Medicine, Oakland, CA
“Medicaid encourages my patients to come in for evaluation and treatment before their problems get much worse. It gets them in the door they wouldn’t otherwise enter, getting them needed medical attention, helping to stay functional in society.” — Robert Sullivan, MD, Family Medicine, Sacramento, CA
“Medicaid provides insulin to my diabetic patients, seizure medications to my epileptic patients, prenatal care to my pregnant patients, access to specialists for my pediatric and adults patients with life threatening diseases and so much more. It provides hope and dignity for people that could not otherwise afford health care.” — Kambria Beck Holder, MD, Primary Care, Santa Rosa, CA
Colorado
“I’m going to see patients present later, sicker, and with less ability to get follow up care.” — Matthew Zuckerman, MD, Emergency Medicine, Denver, CO
“Health insurance without essential benefits is like a car without brakes or a busted parachute…” — Eiko Browning, MD, Hematology-Oncology, Highlands Ranch, CO
“The ACA / Medicaid has allowed me to provide thorough developmental screenings to my youngest patients, and several have been found to need further evaluation, care and therapy. This is just one example of the multitude of ways Medicaid has provided health care to some of our most vulnerable citizens and literally changed their lives.” — Lori Smith, MD, Pediatrics, Frederick, CO
Connecticut
“Through Medicaid expansion… millions of Americans were able to realize addiction treatment …” — Jeanette Tetrault, MD, Primary Care and Addiction Medicine, New Haven, CT
“Medicaid serves my patients who are most in need of health care. Without it, my patients with diabetes or hypertension would not see a doctor until they were gravely ill. We depend on Medicaid and cannot see it sacrificed for political benefit.” — Matthew Meizlish, MD/PhD candidate, New Haven, CT
“People without insurance, especially those with low incomes, tend to avoid preventative health care, which if ignored, can lead to major illnesses, that not only affects the individual, but affects the amount of money this country spends on health care… But without insurance, individuals may avoid this preventative care. I’ve witnessed this first hand. For this reason and many more, it is vital that Medicaid expansion is not rolled back.” — Ross Kristal, MD, Internal Medicine, New Haven, CT
“I continually feel a sense of relief when I see that my patient has Medicaid (as opposed to a private insurance) because of the options I have with labs and imaging as well as the coverage and minimal copay of the formulary.” — Patrick Kelly, MD, Primary Care, New Haven, CT
“When my patient’s husband tragically passed away suddenly she lost her insurance. After years of hard work financially disqualifying her for Medicaid, she was eligible through the ACA. Our first visit we ordered the mammogram that detected her breast cancer at at early stage. Medicaid saved her life, her son’s only parent, and the health care system expensive advanced cancer treatment.” — Sarita Soares, MD, Primary Care, New Haven, CT
Florida
“Children will suffer; I have no doubt about that.” — Arielle Hay, MD, Pediatric Rheumatologist, Miami, FL
“Medicaid enables children with complex medical conditions to get the care they need, when they need it, from experts who provide the best care to the child. Reducing Medicaid would make American’s children sicker.” — Zach Spoer-Labutta, MD, Pediatrics, St. Petersburg, FL
“Millions of families … will find that their elderly loved ones or disabled loved ones are no longer eligible for long term care beds.” — Paul Robinson, MD, Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics, Tarpon Springs, FL
Georgia
“It was written in secret, by the wealthy for the wealthy, and will kill Americans. It’s that simple.” — Adam Friedlander, MD, Adult and Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Illinois
“I don’t think sexual assault should be considered a pre-existing condition.” — Laura Craig, MD, Psychiatry, Chicago, IL
“Repealing the ACA is a dangerous idea…” — Mara Divis, DO, Family Medicine, Chicago, IL
“This bill hurts those that need us the most: the disabled, children, the poor, and the chronically ill.” — Vineet Arora, MD, Internal Medicine, Chicago, IL
“Medicaid improves my patients’ lives. For some, such as my difficult to treat diabetic and hypothyroid patients, it is life saving.” — Alex Neuman, DO, Primary Care, Oak Park, IL
“Medicaid matters to my patients because it allows them to get better treatment for their neurological diseases, without having to undergo expensive hospitalizations and tests.” — Scott Lipson, MD, Neurology, Chicago, IL
Indiana
“Where will my patients go if their care is not covered?” — Katherine W. McHugh, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indianapolis, IN
Iowa
“Mental health is already in crisis in Iowa, and the health care bill will allow states to remove mental health as a required benefit. That’s outrageous and is only going to make the problem worse!” — Hans House, MD, Emergency Medicine, Iowa City, IA
Maine
“Cutting the infirmed and poor from Medicaid is cruel, not healthcare…” — Cathleen London, MD, Family Medicine, Milbridge, ME
“I work in rural Maine where people are poor and sick and dependent on Medicaid for care.” — Jennifer Lipka, DO, Hospitalist, Ellsworth, ME
“It will take people already working so hard and make them feel tossed aside by those with power — no care, no help, no hope.” — Bethany Picker, MD, Family Medicine, Lewiston, ME
Maryland
“If it weren’t for Medicaid my patients would not be able to breathe. Insurance allows them to take the medications that treat everything from asthma to pulmonary hypertension.” — Trishul Siddharthan, MD, Pulmonary Critical Care, Baltimore, MD
Massachusetts
“The Senate health care bill does nothing to promote psychiatric or substance abuse treatment.” — Jim Recht, MD, Psychiatry, Substance Use Disorders, Boston, MA
“Millions of Americans will lose their health insurance…” — Elissa Perkins, MD, Emergency Medicine, Boston, MA
“My adolescent female patients … likely will no longer have access to affordable, reliable contraception…” — Kathryn Brigham, MD, Adolescent Medicine, Boston, MA
“As an emergency physician I know that when people don’t have access to basic necessities like maintenance medications for diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure, they will present to me with life threatening conditions…” — Elizabeth Mitchell, MD, Emergency Medicine, Boston, MA
“Patients will not be able to get their screening mammography without insurance.” — Samantha Harrington, MD, Radiology, Cambridge, MA
“Medicaid matters because our society should protect its most vulnerable. Children, the elderly and disabled should not go without necessary healthcare!” — Lachelle Weeks, MD, Internal Medicine, Boston, MA
Minnesota
“Thousands of children and families would lose access to well child checks…” — Nathan Chomilo, MD, Pediatrics, Minneapolis, MN
“I don’t think we should ever go backwards, especially with the progress we’ve made in childrens’ coverage …” — Nusheen Ameenuddin, MD MPH,
Pediatrics, Rochester, MN
“Imagine my patient was your child — and then tell me why they should have their insurance taken away from them.” — Kacia Lee, MD, Primary Care, Minneapolis, MN
“Cuts to Medicaid and block grants will cut the care to my most vulnerable patients… In order to grow healthy families and communities, people need access to primary care providers” — Andrea Westby, MD, Family Medicine, Minneapolis, MN
“With Medicaid cuts, our social workers would have an even harder time finding facilities to care for our nation’s Veterans who need long-term care. Short-changing care for Veterans just to provide tax-cuts is unconscionable.” — Dimitri Drekonja, MD, Infectious Disease, Minneapolis, MN
“The majority of my pediatric patients are on Medicaid. We are currently experiencing a measles outbreak in our state, and if my patients lose their insurance, they lose access to immunizations.” — Meg Kersey-Isaacson, MD, Infectious Disease, St. Paul, MN
New Jersey
“This bill is going to result in many lives in ruin. This keeps me up at night.” — Jennifer H. Chuang, MD, MS, Adolescent Medicine, Moorestown, NJ
New Mexico
“I’m opposed to the BCRA because it fails to guarantee coverage for basic medical conditions…” — Miryam Miller, MD, Emergency Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
New York
“My patients may not be covered for mammography, and breast cancers will be missed. People will die from this…” — Gennifer Geller, MD, Radiology, Rye, NY
“Essential health benefits are critical to actually covering people in emergencies…” — Dara Kass, MD, Emergency Medicine, New York, NY
“I work with survivors of human trafficking who rely on Medicaid…” Anita Ravi, MD, Family Medicine, New York, NY
“Medicaid means my patients with opioid use disorder can get effective, life-saving treatment.” — Aaron Fox, MD Primary Care, Addiction Medicine, Bronx, NY
“I’m concerned about a patient I have who I diagnosed yesterday with an abdominal cancer…” Barbara Porter, MD, Primary Care, New York, NY
“I’m worried about the new health care bill…” Adam Schwartz, MD, Primary Care, New York, NY
“I am a hospice and palliative care physician. Medicaid allows many of my patients to have the highest quality medical care...” — Jeffrey Allen, MD, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Rochester, NY
“My patients will come in sicker, with the possible lethal sequela of treatable/preventable diseases...” — Renita Kundu, MD, Emergency Medicine, New York, NY
“Medicaid means being confident you can have a medical problem evaluated and treated. Without it, patients wait and wait, until what was a small problem becomes much bigger, much more difficult for the patient — and much more expensive for all of us.” — Wesley Clark, MD, Anesthesiologist, Brooklyn, NY
“Medicaid gives you dignity and hope when you are most vulnerable. It is your safety net and knowing it’s there helps assure your American sense of freedom...” — Victoria Gorski, MD, Primary Care, Bronx, NY
“You persevered through trauma and worked so hard to bring your son into this world. You made sure that he has the support he needs to thrive. Because of Medicaid, I was able to be a part of your journey.” — Mariya Masyukova, MD, Primary Care, Bronx, NY
“As an internist caring for adults with developmental disabilities, every single one of my patients is dependent on the Medicaid expansion that is part of the ACA in NY State. Losing that will be devastating…”— Galit Sacaiju, MD, Internal Medicine, New York, NY
“Without Medicaid, my patients will suffer at the hands of diseases that can be managed and treated, economic burdens that can be avoided…“ — Sameen Farooq, MD, Primary Care, Bronx, NY
“I take care of a 24 year old type 1 diabetic patient who is dependent on insulin to survive… Pre-ACA Medicaid expansion, he was uninsured. He was hospitalized in intensive care units several times a year because he could not afford his insulin. Post-ACA, he now has Medicaid, is able to afford his insulin, has not been in the hospital since 2013.” — Nicole Villapiano, MD, Primary Care, Cortland, NY
“Medicaid coverage is the only way our patients can get diagnostic tests, medications, and specialty care...” — Paul Kaye, MD, Primary Care Pediatrics, Peekskill, NY
“Patients with Cystic Fibrosis often depend on Medicaid for the amazing new medications that may add decades to their lives.” — Allen Dozor, MD, Pediatrics, New York, NY
“Medicaid paid for the care of my grandmother with Alzheimer’s.” — William Jordan, MD, Family Medicine, Queens, NY
“Medicaid matters to my patients and my family. My brother who has a chronic illness finally qualified for Medicaid health care. He is terrified that it will be taken away from him and his illness will get worse.” — Sandra Turner, MD, Psychiatrist, New York NY
North Carolina
“There’s no way we can accomodate the millions of additional uninsured patients who will find it unavailable to acquire insurance under the new bill…” — Gary Greenberg, MD, Internal Medicine, Raleigh, NC
Ohio
“This bill will affect my patients’ health: maternal and fetal deaths will rise.” — Carmen Baxter, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dayton, Ohio
“Every day [my patients] come in to me expressing their concerns about their new health care bill…” — Gregory Lam, MD, Cardiology, Circleville, OH
“Medicaid helps my parents and my grandparents get their medications each month. It gives them peace of mind that they can get an appointment with the finest hospital closest to home when they need to see a doctor.” — Jacob Petrosky, MD, General Surgery, Cleveland, OH
“I treat patients with mental illness and addictions who have been released from jail and prison. Medicaid is the stabilizing factor for my patients in their time of transition and has helped them receive mental health and substance abuse treatment...” — Megan Testa, MD, Psychiatry, Shaker Heights, OH
“Medicaid takes care of the poorest among us.” — Chantal Dothey, MD, Pediatrics, Cleveland, OH
Oregon
“I worry every day about how this health care bill is going to impact my patients with chronic conditions. But I also worry about my daughter. She received a diagnosis of Marfan’s syndrome when she was two days old… She’s gonna have a lot of bills and probably a lot of surgeries.” — Shana Kusin, MD, Emergency Medicine, Portland, OR
“I’m going to be worried about my most vulnerable patients…” — Domi Le, MD, Gastroenterology, Portland, OR
“I don’t know how I’m going to do my job if Medicaid is cut and capped.” — Smitha Chadaga, MD, Internal Medicine, Portland, OR
“One of our most important jobs is to listen to our patients. We hear and share your fears. We will stand up for you.” — Josephine Livingston, MD, Emergency Medicine, Portland, OR
“My most vulnerable patients will suffer, become ill, require hospitalization more often, and may die…” — Bronwyn Baz, MD, Pediatrics, Portland, OR
“Medicaid saves lives, changes lives for the better, AND allows for upstream medicine to prevent high downstream costs.”— Lisa Kipersztok, MD, Primary Care, Portland, OR
“Harming patients who rely on Medicaid rips the guts out of what it means to be a physician who cares…” — Michael Goldern, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Portland, OR
“Most of my patients needed Medicaid and Medicare as their only available health insurance. These are vital programs for the poor...” — Laura Hanks, PA, Internal Medicine, Milawukie, OR
Pennsylvania
“I don’t want to see another patient who dies because they didn’t have access to preventive health screening, because they didn’t have insurance…”— Ilene Wong, MD, Urology, West Chester, PA
“The BCRA takes money from the old and sick and gives it to the rich.” — Peter Adler, MD, Emergency Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“The Senate’s health care bill … turns back the clock on important women’s health care gains over the years.” — Adrienne Neithardt MD, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Exton, PA
“Without Medicaid my patients don’t have access to life-saving insulin, putting them at risk for immediate and long term risks.” — Anna Morgan, MD MSc, Primary Care-Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
“It will block access to needed care for so many of my patients and their families.” — James Callahan, MD, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
“When the lost insurance from work or lost their job, Medicaid saved their supply of diabetes and heart medications. Those without it often came to the ED too late, too sick.” — Krisda Chaiyachati, MD MPH, Primary Care–Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
“Without Medicaid my patients would never know what it means to be cured for Hepatitis C. Getting that insurance meant getting tested, getting treated, and getting cured.” — Navin Vij, MD, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA
“Many of the patients that we see with special health-care needs including autism and other developmental disabilities would be unable to access care without the insurance coverage provided by Medicaid for them…” — Hillary Kruger, MD, Developmental Pediatrician, Philadelphia, PA
“Medicaid helps my medically fragile patients have full and active lives. From allowing a child on a ventilator to attend school, to allowing children born premature to make it to the staggering number of specialists they have to see, without Medicaid none of this would be possible…” — Nicole Jaffe, MD, Developmental Pediatrician, Philadelphia, PA
“Yesterday a family came to me in tears; their 2 year-old son with Down Syndrome is finally in good health, now making good progress with intensive developmental therapies, and is able to communicate with them through basic sign language… I fear for his future without Medicaid…” — Sandhyaa Iyengar, MD, Developmental Pediatrician, Philadelphia, PA
“Medicaid means your grandmother can stay in the senior home where she gets nursing, physical and occupational therapy and companionship, instead of going to a place where she is ignored and gets bedsores.” — Kristina Nivus, MD, Primary Care, Dallastown, PA
“As a primary care pediatrician, Medicaid enables me to give my patients life-saving vaccines, monitor their growth and development, and take care of them when they are ill.” — Stacey Kallem, MD, Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA
“Medicaid allows my patients to start dialysis in the safest and most cost effective way.” — John Prior, DO, Nephrology, Waverley Township, PA
“Without Medicaid they could no longer be my patients, thanks to our overpriced yet underperforming American healthcare system.” — Dwight Eichelberger, MD, Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Elizabethtown, PA
“All kinds of patients in my practice are on Medicaid, and the most vulnerable patients are the ones most likely to be on it. They need to have access to primary care so they can stay out of our emergency rooms, work to feed their families and have quality of life.” — Katherine Margo, MD, Family Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
“Without Medicaid my patients and their parents cannot receive the crucial preventative and medical care necessary to flourish in their lives.” — Sanjiv Mehta, MD, Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA
Rhode Island
“Under the AHCA, you may not be covered when you need it most.” — Megan Ranney, MD MPH, Emergency Medicine, Providence, RI
“Medicaid allows my low income patients to keep their diabetes under control…”— Heather Mackey-Fowler, MD, Primary Care, South Kingstown, RI
Tennessee
“My patients are not only concerned about their diagnosis, but also about being able to afford insurance when their treatment is over…” — Dana Cardin, MD, MSCI, Medical Oncologist, Nashville, TN
Texas
“It’s poised to hurt our most vulnerable population: our children.” — Terri Major-Kincaide, MD, Neonatology, Dallas, TX
“If the BCRA causes an increase in the number of uninsured, then our patient population is going to more than double, making it harder for us to provide care…It is not only the human cost of suffering that we must consider as physicians, it is the economic toll that these patients present when they suffer a stroke, renal failure, hepatitis from repeated transfusions.” — John Navar, MD, Anesthesiology, Corpus Christi, TX
“Medicaid has provided many of my patients with liver transplants, treatment of hepatitis C, and many other liver problems who would simply have had virtually no access to care for these problems without it.” — Victor Ostrower, MD, Hepatology, San Antonio, TX
“Medicaid allows moms to be healthy during their pregnancy and babies to achieve their full potential.” — Lisa Glenn, MD, Family Medicine, Austin, TX
“This ends up harming our fellow Americans while costing the healthcare system much more money. On average, it costs 3x as much to treat serious conditions than to prevent them...” — Ron Levin, MD, Family Medicine, Austin, TX
“Without Medicaid, many of my patients would not be able to access preventative care and would wind up with much more serious illnesses that cost taxpayers in the millions for a single patient’s care…” — Christie Shanafelt, MD, Family Medicine, Richardson, TX
“I have a patient who has had multiple heart attacks before the age of 50... He will become un-insurable under the AHCA. We are not buying him a sports car when we provide insurance coverage for him. We are paying for his life.” — Christine Eady-Mann, DO, Family Medicine, Leander, TX
Utah
“Americans deserve healthy families…“ — Cara Heuser, MD MPH, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT
Virginia
“Our state won’t give you Medicaid, so you take a whole day off of work, travel 2.5 hours to my free clinic to treat your diabetes, and panhandle for gas money for the ride home.” — Megan Lemay, MD, Primary Care-Internal Medicine, Richmond, VA
Washington
“There is no way for [children] to stay out of harms way with this bill.” Faith Galderisi, DO, Seattle, Pediatric Oncology, WA
“I care for sick kids every day who rely on Medicaid for coverage.” — Elizabeth Meade, MD, Pediatrics, Seattle, WA
“Taking health insurance away from 20-plus million Americans will not make people healthier.” — Steven Pergam, MD, Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA
“I’m a doctor with over 30 years of primary care practice. Medicaid level patients without insurance are sicker and MUCH more expensive than those who are insured. Medicaid is economic and humane.”
— Lena Makaroun, MD, Geriatrician, Seattle, WA
“Medicaid allows my medically fragile young patients to attend school with their nursing providers and engage with their peers and dedicated teachers.” — Michael Tomkins, MD, Pediatrics, Tacoma, WA
“You had cervical cancer on your first pap test. Medicaid paid for your successful treatment and cure. Now you can continue to get care for diabetes and knee pain.” — Jane Huntington, MD, Family Medicine, Seattle, WA
“Medicaid gave you access to care so that you could get early screening for breast cancer. Early detection helped save your life.” — Nina Maisterra, MD, Primary Care, Seattle, WA
“I take care of poor, frail elderly patients. They have nowhere but Medicaid to turn to for needed long-term care expenses, and their families are already in caregiver burnout, trying to care for their own children as well as their parents. Cutting Medicaid would affect all three generations!” — Lisa Plymate, MD, Geriatrics, Seattle, WA
“I’m a doctor with over 30 years of primary care practice. Medicaid level patients without insurance are sicker and MUCH more expensive than those who are insured. Medicaid is economic and humane” — Kathleen Davis, MD, Primary Care, Seattle, WA
West Virginia
“I’m worried about the BCRA, because as a neurosurgeon, I take care of people on the worst day of their lives. No one has advanced notice that they’re going to have a brain tumor, a ruptured aneurysm, or a spinal cord injury …”— Cara Sedney, MD, Neurosurgery, Morgantown, WV
Wisconsin
“This would have a profound impact on just about every one of my patients…” Jennifer Perkins, MD, Family Medicine, Madison, WI
“28% of adults <64 in WI have pre-existing conditions. Almost 1.2 million people in WI use public insurance in some form in WI. The healthcare of all of these people is at risk.” — Amy Walsh, MD, Emergency Medicine, Madison, WI
“In Wisconsin many rural patients are Medicaid patients. These rural Wisconsinites will be deprived of health care because they do not have the resources to pay for health care out of pocket.” — Bruce Krawisz, MD, Pathologist, Marshfield, WI
“Without Medicaid many of my older patients on fixed incomes with conditions like advanced Alzheimer’s disease who have become incontinent and non ambulatory, whose families do not have the necessary resources, would not be able to be cared for and kept safe and clean in nursing homes.” — Mark Chelmowski, MD, Internal Medicine, Bayside, WI
