(upbeat music) - Welcome to "The Newsfeed," I'm Paris Jackson.

About 72 million people are on Medicaid in the US.

The government funded health insurance program could be on the chopping block as federal government officials continue to make cuts to address what they call fraud and wasteful spending.

One Washington nonprofit, a state program contractor that serves more than 300,000 people in Medicaid says, those cuts could be devastating.

CEO Leanne Berge shares what the consequences could be for citizens who rely on the program most.

People who receive Medicaid are often low income, and they range in age and background.

- People don't realize that Medicaid covers so many different people.

People from all walks of life, people at all ages.

And while it's a program for low income, probably everybody knows somebody that benefits from Medicaid.

It serves children.

It's more than 40% of the births in the state of Washington.

It serves elder people.

People in long-term support service needs, people in nursing facilities and everybody in between.

- How would cuts to Medicaid impact, as you say, the most vulnerable citizens in Washington?

- Clearly, the most vulnerable citizens in the state are dependent on Medicaid.

We're talking about people who have disabilities, who if they did not have Medicaid, their families would have to stay home to take care of them if they have families.

We're also talking about people who might have behavioral health needs or drug addiction.

So, Medicaid is just so foundational.

If you don't have the ability to have services for your health, nothing else can happen, right?

You can't work, you can't take care of your family, for the most vulnerable there's just no question.

But what people also don't realize is that almost everybody's one step away from having that vulnerability.

And if we didn't have healthcare coverage that was broadly available for everybody with low income, people would end up in emergency rooms and in hospitalizations and die.

It's that simple.

People would not survive without access to Medicaid.

- What would you say to someone watching this who thinks that these cuts may be necessary to address fraud or waste?

- Medicaid, Medicare and other programs that benefit individuals have already built into them a variety of safeguards to avoid fraud and abuse.

And when you hear the talk about, "Oh, we need to make drastic cuts to prevent fraud and abuse."

Frankly, that's gonna result in more fraud and abuse because we're not gonna have the oversight and the resources that we need to properly and effectively deliver on this program.

- It seems that this could have a domino effect, not just on people that are actually on Medicaid, but those that aren't.

- By supporting the people most in need in our state or across the country, we all benefit.

For example, hospitals, if they don't have the reimbursement through Medicaid and have to provide free care, where's that money coming from?

It has to come from taxpayers some other way.

It has to come from employer groups, so everybody's premiums would go up or hospitals would close their doors, and that would be detrimental to everybody.

(upbeat music) - The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival kicks off on May 31st, in downtown Seattle.

The event brings world renowned newsmakers, thought leaders, and you together in one place to take on hot topics and live conversations.

Plus expect live podcast recordings from our own Northwest Reports, as well as the Atlantic, NPR, and CNN.

Head over to cascadepbs.org and click on the Ideas Festival tab for ticket information.

I'm Paris Jackson, thank you for watching "The Newsfeed," your destination for nonprofit Northwest News, go to cascadepbs.org for more great local coverage.

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