Medicaid

Fellow West Virginians,

As your Republican candidate for Congress, I stand firmly against the newly proposed Medicaid legislation as it is currently written. While I believe President Trump is doing what he thinks is best, I also believe a one size fits all type of legislation is not really the answer to this particular problem simply because the demographic of every State is so different. I would like to think our United States Senators and House Representatives, who actually live in this state not to mention, would already understand this but it is obvious they do not. I do agree with the President that the burden on our taxpayers to provide for those who are able to work or who are not United States Citizens is unacceptable although I do have to ask is the answer he has provided worth sacrificing a single life for and if so whose? the illegal aliens? the newborn with a heart problem that desperately needs the care that some of these cuts will make impossible for them to get? the grandparent that has chronic bronchitis? Which of the 56% or 196,000 children that are covered by Medicaid in West Virginia do not deserve to have healthcare? Which of the 135,000 senior citizens and disabled adults do not deserve to have food that SNAP programs provide? Who do we sacrifice for the "greater good" of saving money? Should illegal aliens have access to any benefits that are guaranteed to our citizens by our constitution?  Absolutely not, but they are people too and I can not in good conscience say "Well, I think we can sacrifice one or two or 100 so we can save a few dollars on health care". I think as Americans and West Virginians we are better than that. Don't get me wrong, they have no business here, they should be deported, and I am one hundred percent for that but not in the context of providing healthcare. I can not overlook the danger that could negatively impact our citizens by potentially eliminating health care for hundreds of thousands of West Virginians that may end up costing lives and puts even more strain on our already fragile rural healthcare systems that so many in our communities not only need but desperately depend on. Many of our hospitals already struggle daily with keeping their doors open and we want to make it harder for them to provide emergency care in times of crisis or cause them so much extra burden that they are forced to cease operating putting dozens of communities at unthinkable risk. I am confident that if we looked through the federal budget it would be rather easy to find other places to make budget cuts in places that would not put any of our citizens or businesses in harms way. We need real solutions and cutting taxes is a good thing, just not in programs that feed, provide critical medical care, and utility relief to our people: We need reforms that promote personal responsibility, protect the truly vulnerable, and encourage innovation—not a one-size-fits-all bill that puts our citizens in danger. I’m fighting for a system that can be affordable, is accountable, and is sustainable—not another program that kicks the can of reform down the road. Let’s fix Medicaid the right way—by putting individuals, patients and families first.

Dave Sartin
Republican Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives
Pro-Freedom. Pro-Reform. Pro-Taxpayer.