“We urge members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee — and all lawmakers at the federal and state levels — to remember that Medicaid provides essential, life-saving services to tens of millions of vulnerable women and families who otherwise would go without health care.

A staggering 50 million Americans now qualify for Medicaid, many of them direct or indirect victims of the punishing recession and jobless recovery. Three in four adult Medicaid beneficiaries are women. They need reliable health care services during this time of enormous need.

Medicaid covers the poorest and sickest people in our nation, financing essential care over the spectrum of women’s lives, from family planning and maternal health services to nursing home care. It is the only source of health care for millions of vulnerable older women with multiple health problems, covering the home and community-based services and long-term care that they urgently need.

We understand the fiscal challenges facing lawmakers and the country, but this essential safety net program should be protected. We urge lawmakers to resist all arbitrary cuts to Medicaid, and instead to invest in prevention as well as the payment and delivery system reforms that can cut costs and improve the quality of care.”