Potential Medicaid cuts creating uncertainty for Palm Springs family

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - The potential for trillions of dollars to be cut from Medicaid and Medi-Cal programs have some Coachella Valley residents on edge, after the House passed a budget with orders to cut billions of dollars in spending.

Local leaders are now sounding the alarm that these cuts could impact crucial healthcare programs, with 1 in 5 Americans covered by Medicaid.

Speaking exclusively with News Channel 3 this week, Raul Ruiz said, “They've ordered different committees to cut up to $1.5 trillion,” Ruiz said. “The math doesn’t add up. There will be a deficit in addition to this tax cut. But as part of that, they’re looking at making drastic cuts to Medicaid.”

The Levels, a Palm Springs family, are also growing weary over the proposed changes.

For 20 years, Keeley Level has provided in-home care to her husband, Burt, after he suffered a stroke. Without Medicaid, she says their family would lose that opportunity.

She says things like groceries, rent, and her husband's costly medications would all add up without the help.

"Making ends meet as far as financially, being able to buy groceries, medications, those are going to cost me a fortune. I don't know how I'm going to pay for those medications," Keeley said.

She tells News Channel 3 her husband's 20 daily prescriptions can cost up to $3,000 out of pocket.

In Home Support Services through MediCal also allow Keeley to stay at home and care for Burt.

"I get him up, get him in his wheelchair, take him to the shower, bathe him, make sure he's shaved and everything. Get him out of the shower in the wheelchair. Take him back to the room, dress him. I can't leave him alone because if he takes the fall, who's going to help him?"

Leaders on both sides of the aisle disagree on what the impacts of the House's budget will be.

In a statement, Congressman Ken Calvert told News Channel 3:

"Republicans in Congress are committed to protecting Medicaid benefits for the Californians and other Americans who rely on the program, including children, mothers, and the disabled. One of the best ways to safeguard Medicaid  and taxpayers is to root out waste, fraud and abuse wherever it exists in the program.”

Keeley says her husband's unexpected stroke took away things like retirement plans and trips. Now she hopes healthcare cuts won't hurt them any more.

"We were going to go travel around beaches and go down to the Bahamas and use our British surfboard and, you know, set on the beach and just enjoy life together. And it didn't work out that way."