Nearly 150 from Alzheimer’s, Related Diseases Community Urge Congress to Reject Medicaid and SNAP Cuts
Published February 27, 2025
In a letter sent to U.S. Senate and House leaders and Hill health staff, the Alliance was joined by nearly 150 leading organizations and individuals to urge Congress to oppose any cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including those called for in the proposed budget resolution.
These deep cuts will have a negative impact on all Americans living with chronic disease and other disabilities, but this letter draws attention to how devastating they will be on those with Alzheimer’s disease and related diseases (ADRD), including frontotemporal degeneration and Lewy Body dementia, and their family caregivers.
A few facts to note:
- Wholesale cuts to the Medicaid program will increase costs to states for Alzheimer’s-related care. When basic assistance for the needs of daily life is not available, older adults wind up in high-cost settings—notably hospitals and nursing homes—and overall costs increase.
- Home care services are at greatest risk of major cuts because they are optional under Medicaid while nursing home care is mandatory. According to the 2023 LTSS Expenditure Report, among states reporting, nearly two-thirds of Medicaid funding for long-term care (63%) was spent on home- and community-based services aimed at keeping people of all ages out of institutions.
- States with higher aging populations will be at a disadvantage as care gets shifted to higher-cost settings like ERs and nursing homes.
- We also oppose any cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is our nation’s most effective tool to fight hunger, reaching over 40 million children, parents, older adults, disabled people, workers, and other low-income people each month, or about 1 in 8 Americans. It is a valuable resource for those who qualify who suffer from ADRD, ensuring that they can access healthy food and do not go hungry. Food insecurity is a major risk factor for older adults with chronic illness.