Press Releases

Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Dennis Lopata, Executive Director of Life Care of Wilbraham, to highlight the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts on the First Congressional District.

Last Thursday, April 10, 2025, House Republicans passed a budget resolution that directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion in federal programs. The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that this cannot be achieved without making significant cuts to Medicare or Medicaid.

Nearly 80 million Americans receive health care through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including 1.6 million residents of Massachusetts and more than 330,000 residents in the First District. Throughout Massachusetts, 48% of adults are at risk of losing their health coverage due to the proposed Medicaid work requirements.

“Last month, I visited Riverside Industries in Easthampton to discuss the impact of cuts to Medicaid and what it would mean for their clients. Today, I am pleased to visit Life Care of Wilbraham and highlight what any loss in Medicaid funding would mean for an organization that has been serving the Wilbraham community for more than thirty years,” said Congressman Neal. “Medicaid plays a critical role in providing affordable health care coverage for those at the lower end of the economic spectrum; it is the reason that every child and 97% of adults in Massachusetts have health insurance. A budget isn't just about numbers; it's a reflection of our values. The notion that we are going to take away health care from women, children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities to finance a tax cut for the wealthy is reprehensible.”

Life Care Center of Wilbraham, a 123-bed skilled nursing facility, opened its doors in July 1991. Life Care’s facility has three units, including two that service the needs of extended stay residents and one that provides services to sub-acute/Medicare or short-term patients. Life Care’s average census is 116 patients, which includes 22% Medicare payers, 10% insurance payers, 9% private payers, and 58% Medicaid payers.

“This proposed reduction in Medicaid funding would affect Life Care Center of Wilbraham’s ability to provide the highest quality of care and services to our Medicaid residents, who compose over 50% of our daily census,” said Dennis Lopata, Executive Director of Life Care of Wilbraham. “Our CMS five-star rating has been obtained by being able to staff and provide superior quality care that supports our mission to be the number one provider of choice in our community.” 

In addition to its role in providing affordable health coverage, Medicaid, or as it’s known in Massachusetts, MassHealth, brings $13 billion to Massachusetts each year – half of all federal funding to the state – as well as one-fifth of revenue for hospitals and half of the revenue for nursing facilities and community health centers. In western Massachusetts, hospitals rely greatly upon Medicaid for reimbursements, including Baystate Health and Mercy Medical Center, which have public payer mixes of 69% and 79%, respectively. MassHealth also supports 125,000 healthcare jobs and thousands more beyond.

“These visits are a reminder that policy changes lives. The proposed policies being discussed today would not only impact some of the neediest individuals in our communities, but also some of our largest employers,” continued Congressman Neal. “Medicaid transcends party politics, serving patients in all fifty states. The consequences that these actions will have on American lives, our public health, and economic security are indisputable.”

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