Opinion: Medicaid cuts will hurt North Carolina families like ours

As Medicaid cuts loom thanks to President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” families across the country, including here in North Carolina, have to contend with the potential loss of benefits.

My name is Madhavi. I am a writer, advocate, and above all, a mother. Like any mother, I would do anything to protect my children.

From the moment my second son, Joseph, was born, I knew he was different—not less—just different. And from that moment on, I’ve been in a constant fight to ensure he gets the support he needs to thrive. It took 14 years of advocacy before he was diagnosed with autism and finally began receiving services that helped him navigate school. 

He’s on the higher end of the spectrum, and if you meet him, you might not know he’s neurodivergent. He’s developed coping mechanisms that mask his struggles. Behind the scenes, he battles every day—and it breaks my heart that we’ve had to fight so hard for what should be basic accommodations.

Today, Joseph works 20 hours per week at a county library and is actively seeking full-time employment. He wants to be independent and contribute. He wants an independent future.

Last year, Joseph turned 26 and aged out of my husband’s insurance. We applied for Medicaid, and to our relief, he was accepted. A few months later, we received a call from a case manager who told us she was there to help Joseph in whatever way he needed. I was stunned and grateful. She’s helped him navigate the DMV and reach out to Wake Tech Community College to explore returning to school. This kind of support has been life-changing. And it’s only possible because of North Carolina’s Medicaid programs.

Then came July 3, 2025. 

I was trying to avoid the news, but Joseph came downstairs and said, “Well, I just lost my healthcare. Republicans passed the Big Soulless Bill in the House.” 

Congress passed Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” budget bill, which will cut Medicaid by nearly a trillion dollars over the next decade, and means recipients could lose their health care when the provisions go into effect.

I cried. I sobbed. I knew what that meant for him. For us, for so many families like ours, Medicaid has given Joseph the confidence to pursue new opportunities. Taking that away would be devastating.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for dignity, for stability, for the chance to live. As Republican National Committee Chair, Michael Whatley cheered on these cuts more than anyone.  Come next November, we will vote accordingly and hold him accountable.

Joseph is shy but we’ve always encouraged him to use his voice, so the rest of these words are his.

Joseph’s Perspective

My name is Joseph. I’ve had Medicaid since late last year, and I’ve been grateful for all the help it’s given me. Now, I’m worried that I’ll lose my healthcare, all because some members of Congress believe billionaires deserve tax cuts while I deserve to either die young or work to pay medical bills until I die.

If people lose their healthcare, if children have food ripped from their table, if rural communities lose their hospitals, people will suffer and die. That’s exactly what this law does.

The fact that this bill was drafted, put before a committee, voted on three times, passed through both chambers of Congress, and signed into law just so the rich can get richer should qualify the Republican Party for the “Heartless Individuals of the Century” award.

Next November is the midterms. North Carolina will have one of the biggest US Senate races in the country. It will be between Michael Whatley, who called gutting Medicaid a “huge win,” and, former Gov. Roy Cooper, who made it his mission as governor to expand Medicaid. 

My plan is simple. I will use my voice, like my parents taught me, and share my story. I will hold our elected officials accountable and ensure Michael Whatley has to answer for this heartless law. I will make sure our open U.S. Senate seat is held by someone who believes I am deserving of health care.