100 signatures reached
To: Congressmen John Mannion
Appeal to Retain Medicaid Benefits
February 16, 2025
Meghan C. Rusco
Syracuse District Office
440 South Warren Street
Suite 706
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 233-4333
Dear Dear Congressman John W. Mannion,
I am writing to express my views regarding Executive Order 14009: Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (2021); Executive Order 14070: Continuing to Strengthen Americans’ Access to Affordable, Quality Health Coverage (2022)and to respectfully request your attention and action on this matter.
I reside in Auburn, NY, within the 22nd congressional district where you serve, and I work in Cayuga County. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, I am a small business owner, and I work for a non-profit that supports health equity for residents of Cayuga County in New York by offering support in overcoming barriers to services for underserved populations such as the elderly. I also sit on the Cayuga County Mental Health Sub-committee to help support working families who support those clients with their disparities and barriers.
I work passionately alongside providers and citizens to help connect those in need with life-altering services such as healthcare, housing insecurity, food insecurity, and educational opportunities. The work I do both through my career as a non-profit professional and my own business helps bridge gaps in people’s lives, which empowers them to become the healthy and strong citizens they can be. Therefore, depriving them of these invaluable resources would create struggles within these populations, which could reach catastrophic proportions and likely increase rates of suicide, substance abuse, and violence.
The changes the current administration is attempting in limiting and/or eliminating Medicaid funding will cause irreparable damage to the progress we have made in bridging these gaps in society and exacerbate current issues while creating additional ripples throughout society, which are already being seen as people are losing their jobs and falling into poverty. Often, the people affected have worked for decades to build up their lives and escape the grip of poverty; I have devoted my life to bettering my life and the lives of those around me. This is why I cannot sit idly by and watch our great country be stripped of its integrity or core values. I represent everyone I have worked with who allows me to advocate for them in my community.
Although there is an excellent discrepancy politically about this matter, I urge you to use your influence to advocate for a solution to benefit all Americans, regardless of their financial status or dependency on public support. We beseech you to please represent our citizens in the manner they deserve regarding this issue. After all, America was built on a foundation of empowerment and strength. I feel called to exercise my rights and responsibilities as an educated professional to advocate for those I work with and live beside.
I understand you have many pressing responsibilities, but I believe this issue deserves your serious consideration. I would happily provide additional information or discuss this matter further with you or your staff.
Thank you for your time and dedication to public service. I look forward to your response and your leadership on this vital issue.
Sincerely,
Meghan C. Rusco
Why is this important?
The 2022-2024 assessment conducted by Cayuga County and Auburn Community Hospital identified several health challenges within the community, including:
● Obesity: 33.9% of adults in Cayuga County have obesity, compared to 29.1% in New York State.
● Physical Inactivity: 26.4% of adults in Cayuga County do not participate in leisure-time physical activity, compared to 22.4% in New York State.
● Smoking: 18.3% of adults in Cayuga County smoke cigarettes, compared to 15.9% in New York State.
● Opioid Prescriptions: The opioid analgesic prescription rate in Cayuga County is 384.9 per 1,000 population, exceeding the New York State rate of 343.6.
● Mental Distress: 10.9% of adults in Cayuga County experience frequent mental distress, compared to 10.7% in New York State.
● Poverty: 11.6% of the population in Cayuga County lives in poverty.
These health challenges highlight the need for Medicaid services in the community. Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program that provides coverage to low-income individuals and families. Medicaid services can help address the health challenges identified in the assessment by providing access to preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.