- One in five Americans is on Medicaid, according to Pew Research. A proposed federal budget includes $700 billion in Medicaid cuts. Fifty-seven thousand Nebraskans could be affected, including those relying on new doula care programs.
- The North Omaha–based group I Be Black Girl, in partnership with Nebraska Total Care, is helping local doulas get paid through Medicaid.
- Advocacy groups are urging residents to contact their senators before the bill reaches the Senate.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Not everyone uses Medicaid—but according to Pew Research, one in five Americans rely on it for healthcare coverage. In Nebraska alone, an estimated 57,000 residents could be affected by proposed federal cuts to the program.
I spoke with Sydney Shead, a doula in North Omaha, about a new initiative supported by I Be Black Girl, a nonprofit helping doulas—particularly Black doulas—receive compensation for their care through Medicaid.
While the program is still in its early stages, Shead says its value is clear, especially for expectant mothers in her neighborhood.
“I think it’s worth giving it a shot,” Shead said. “But I think we definitely would still have a long way to go, even if we were to have that component to doula work.”
That future is uncertain. The House of Representatives recently passed a budget reconciliation bill that includes $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid.
Angie Lauritsen, with the advocacy group Nebraska For Us, says the bill could place an enormous burden on the state.
“We know that there is going to be a huge burden on the state of Nebraska in order to comply with what passed on the reconciliation bill,” Lauritsen said.
The sweeping cuts are intended to fast-track federal spending changes but could have ripple effects throughout the healthcare system—impacting everything from hospitals and clinics to community-based support services.
“For some, losing Medicaid means losing access to care altogether,” Shead added. “We don’t always know what funding is going to be there, and the consistency isn’t always there—whether you’re talking about SNAP, Medicaid, or Title 20.”
Lauritsen warns that the consequences could be severe.
“What we knew historically, what we knew from yesterday is that three hospitals in Nebraska will close....services will be cut from different clinics and throughout the state," said Lauristen.
As of now, programs like the doula care initiative haven’t seen funding pulled—but leaders are bracing for that possibility. In the meantime, progressive groups like Nebraska For Us are urging residents to contact their senators and make their voices heard before the bill reaches the Senate.
This is Melissa Wright, reporting from North Omaha.
