How $880 Billion in Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP Cuts Endanger People Living With Lupus

The $880 billion in federal cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP benefits will have devastating consequences for people living with lupus, especially those who are low-income, disabled, or rely on government assistance for survival. Here’s how:

🩺 1. Reduced Access to Specialists and Treatment

Lupus is a complex autoimmune disease that often requires a team of specialists—including rheumatologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, and dermatologists.

• Medicaid and Medicare cuts will reduce provider reimbursements, leading many doctors to stop accepting these plans.

• That means longer wait times, fewer available providers, and delays in diagnosis or treatment—all of which can worsen lupus flares and organ damage.

💊 2. Increased Out-of-Pocket Costs for Medications

Managing lupus often involves immunosuppressants, biologics, and other costly medications (e.g., Plaquenil, Benlysta, corticosteroids).

• Cuts to Medicare Part D and Medicaid prescription coverage could result in:

  • Higher copays

  • Tighter restrictions on covered drugs

  • Delays in medication approvals

• Patients may be forced to skip doses or choose between food and medicine.

🏥 3. Strain on Hospitals and Clinics

Many lupus patients rely on hospital outpatient clinics for labs, IV infusions, and urgent care.

• Cuts to Medicaid funding will result in less funding for safety-net hospitals, especially in underserved communities.

• Some community clinics may shut down entirely, leaving lupus patients without local or affordable care options.

🥗 4. SNAP Cuts Undermine Nutrition-Based Care

Lupus warriors are often advised to follow anti-inflammatory or plant-based diets to help manage fatigue, inflammation, and pain.

• SNAP benefit cuts mean less access to nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, plant-based proteins, and supplements.

• This is dangerous, as poor nutrition can trigger flares, compromise immune function, and lead to more ER visits or hospitalizations.

🧠 5. Mental Health Access Will Decline

Lupus significantly increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and cognitive issues ("lupus fog").

• Medicaid and Medicare cuts to mental health parity could lead to:

  • Fewer covered therapy sessions

  • Reduced access to psychiatrists

  • Out-of-pocket costs for counseling

• The emotional burden of living with lupus may intensify without mental health support.

👩🏾‍🦼 6. The Most Vulnerable Will Suffer the Most

People most affected include:

• Black and Latina women (who are 2-3 times more likely to have lupus)

• Individuals with disabilities

• Low-income families who already live paycheck to paycheck

• People in rural areas with limited access to care

These groups already face systemic barriers in health care. The $880 billion in cuts will only widen these disparities.

🛑 In Summary: Cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP are Life-Threatening for People with Lupus

Category	Impact
Medical Care	Fewer specialists, delayed treatment
Medication	Higher costs, reduced coverage
Nutrition	Less access to anti-inflammatory foods
Hospitals	Underfunded or closed clinics/hospitals
Mental Health	Fewer therapy and support services
Health Equity	Greater racial, gender, and income disparities

💭 Final Thought:

For those of us living with lupus, every day is already a fight — a fight to manage pain, fatigue, and uncertainty. These $880 billion in federal cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP don’t just threaten our access to care — they threaten our ability to live with dignity.

We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for survival — for the basic right to see a doctor, to afford our medication, and to nourish our bodies with food that supports our healing.

Now is the time to raise our voices. To stand together. To remind those in power that behind every budget cut is a life affected — a mother, a child, a senior, a warrior living with lupus.

Because when care is cut, we all bleed. And when we advocate together, we can rise.