Letter: Children suffer while legislators weigh more cuts

Friday, May 16, 2003 | 10:06 a.m.

As a registered nurse in Nevada, I know how important it is for children, seniors and people with disabilities who receive health care through the Medicaid program. Medicaid provides health insurance for almost a quarter of all children and covers costs for two-thirds of the nation's nursing home residents.

Last year the state Legislature cut funding to health care and social services by $8.1 million. Since I work with children and seniors every day, I know what it's like for them when they can no longer afford the health care or medications they need.

Too many times, I've seen frail and ill seniors become very sick because they had to reduce or eliminate their dosage of heart medication because they couldn't afford the proper amount.

It's heartbreaking to look into the eyes of young children and watch them suffer because they can't get proper preventive care. Instead, parents have to wait until their children can no longer take the pain, and then seek treatment in overcrowded emergency rooms.

Now the state Legislature is considering even more Medicaid cuts that would reduce or eliminate some portion of coverage. These devastating cuts would mean that children could lose their health coverage, seniors who need nursing home care might not get it, those requiring medication could have to pay more, and anyone who needs urgent care is more likely to face overcrowded emergency rooms.

Nevada already has more than 35,000 uninsured children, and now state legislators want to cut or eliminate the Medicaid program, called Nevada Check-Up, which would leave even more children without health insurance. That's simply ridiculous. We can't let our children suffer.

CHRISTINE SAWYER

Editor's note: The writer is chair of the Nurse Alliance for the Service Employees International Union, Local 1107.