Thanks to Ritter

Every Coloradan who cares about expanding access to health care should commend Gov. Bill Ritter for his principled and strong opposition to President Bush's Medicaid budget cuts.

The president's plan would not only hurt the already vulnerable families relying on Medicaid funding, but also would impact nursing homes, community centers, children, seniors and people with disabilities.

The Bush plan would permanently undermine the integrity of Medicaid - a public health program that provides coverage for 47 million low-income Americans, including more than 746,000 Coloradans. This is nearly one in every six Colorado residents.

Without Medicaid, 60 percent of the state's poorest would be at the mercy of inadequate coverage or, even worse, risk joining the ranks of the uninsured. Medicaid funds also play a critical role in supporting Colorado's health infrastructure and bolstering our fragile state economy.

Instead of working to maintain public health programs in the face of rising health care costs, an aging population, and temporary economic downturns, President Bush's Medicaid cuts force states to cut essential services and deepen our health care crisis. The current Medicaid program is the solution, not the problem, and it needs to be expanded, not cut.

Thanks to Gov. Ritter for his leadership in supporting the current Medicaid program and opposing proposals that undermine Colorado families, our economy and the future.

Francoise Mbabazi
Colorado Progressive Coalition