05.05.2025 / Press Release

Health Advocates Launch Campaign to Share Stories of Americans Impacted by Devastating Health Care Cuts

Families USA, Center for American Progress, Protect Our Care, Community Catalyst & MomsRising today launched @HealthCareStorytellers to feature stories of folks who use Medicaid and other essential health programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, five leading national health care advocacy organizations launched a new joint campaign to showcase personal stories of Americans who would be impacted by devastating cuts to Medicaid and the U.S. health care system if Republicans follow through on efforts to pass budget cuts in order to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations. Families USA, the Center for American Progress, Protect Our Care, Community Catalyst and MomsRising are unveiling “My Health Care Story” to amplify the stories of millions of people across the country who are at risk of losing their health care.

These organizations have long been at the forefront of the fight to protect access to quality, affordable health care, including the 2017 effort to defeat Republicans’ attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. That year, they led the charge to prevent the law’s repeal by amplifying the stories of individuals and families who need the ACA and Medicaid for their health care. Now, these organizations are again working together to highlight the potentially devastating impacts of cuts to millions of families across the country who use Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA to get their health care or afford their prescription medications.

Americans are packing town halls and calling their representatives in Congress, demanding that Republicans abandon their plans to rip away the health coverage and care that Americans want and need,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA. “We are working with state and grassroots groups to uplift the many voices of Americans and families that would be impacted by these devastating cuts. Medicaid matters, for the health system we all rely on, and particularly for the many millions – whether in communities urban or rural, red or blue – that depend on Medicaid coverage or know someone who does. These stories need to be front and center, even as Congress is focused on numbers for the purpose of paying for a tax cut for the wealthiest.”

“Health care policy isn’t an academic exercise. It has life and death consequences for millions of Americans. With the Trump administration and congressional Republicans hellbent on slashing Medicaid, increasing health insurance premiums, and making prescription drugs more expensive and elusive, it is more critical than ever to amplify the voices of Americans who will be harmed the most if these ideas become a reality,” said Neera Tanden, CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

“Republicans are turning their backs on the American people, putting the 70+ million Americans who count on Medicaid at risk of losing health care. It is critical to tell their stories. Whether it’s a senior in a nursing home, a child with a disability, or a hardworking family trying to get by, Medicaid is a lifeline that must be protected – not ripped away to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations. If these GOP lawmakers get their way, there won’t be a community in this nation that isn’t impacted,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach.

“Moms across the country are rising up to say ‘no’ to Republicans’ plans to slash our health care to pay for tax breaks for billionaires,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising. “Gutting Medicaid and other health programs would force millions to delay treatment, ration medications, and make impossible choices between health care and other essentials, while worsening our country’s maternal health crisis and forcing rural and other hospitals to close. Moms’ voices and stories matter, and we are proud to lift the experiences of those who will suffer the most harm from these cuts as we fight for a future where everyone can access the quality health care we all deserve.”

“We need to center the voices and stories of those whose everyday health and lives rely on Medicaid–children, veterans, people with disabilities–to tell Congress that they are moving too far, too fast, and show them the real people who will end up getting hurt,” said Mona Shah, Director of Policy and Strategy at Community Catalyst. “Yes, healthcare costs are out of control and families need relief, but cutting Medicaid isn’t the answer. These cuts completely ignore the real problem: the corporate greed and price gouging that’s making health care so expensive. Cuts to Medicaid will put families one medical emergency away from crushing medical debt, force people to choose between lifesaving care and putting food on the table and make health care more expensive for us all.”

Featured storytellers can be made available to speak with the media by reaching out to staff at these organizations. All stories are posted on both Instagram and TikTok.

Families USA: stories@familiesusa.org

Center for American Progress: stories@americanprogress.org

Protect Our Care: ahoyer@protectourcare.org

Community Catalyst: xlobosco@communitycatalyst.org

MomsRising: stories@momsrising.org