Kohathite: Medicaid Cuts Looming During The US Government Shutdown | Let Free Healing Scripture Cards Be Your Source Of Strength

Medicaid Cuts Looming During The US Government Shutdown | Let Free Healing Scripture Cards Be Your Source Of Strength

I. In the Quiet Before the Midnight Hour

I remember it clearly: I sat at my kitchen table late one evening, the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant ticking of a wall clock my only companions. My phone screen glowed with breaking headlines: “Government Shutdown Imminent.” A knot grew in my stomach as I felt the weight of uncertainty pressing in. Would my friend Sara — who depends on Medicaid for her treatments — still have access to care? Would my cousin, a federal employee, see his paycheck next month?

My hands trembled slightly as I stared at the news. The rustle of papers, the distant TV report in another room, and the slight chill of the air — all sensed heavy. I held my breath. In that moment, I realized: this was more than politics. It was people's lives on the line.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
That promise whispered into the dark: even amid this valley, God has not abandoned us.

II. Why the Shutdown Now — And What It Means

A. The Timing & the Standoff

The U.S. government runs on a fiscal calendar that begins October 1. When Congress fails to pass either a full appropriations package or a continuing resolution (CR) to carry over funding, a shutdown becomes possible. This year, key disagreements over healthcare funding, particularly debates about extending or cutting subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, have become a flashpoint in the partisan impasse.

Republicans have resisted provisions to renew enhanced ACA subsidies, insisting on spending cuts or policy changes; Democrats have protested that such subsidies are essential for millions to retain coverage. As funding deadlines loomed, no agreement was reached — triggering a lapse.

B. Key Facts, Risks, and Impacts

Economic cost
Some analysts estimate that each week of shutdown could shave off $7 billion from GDP (EY Parthenon estimate), while a White House memo warned of up to $15 billion lost per week in growth. (The Guardian)
The Congressional Budget Office previously estimated that the 2018–2019 shutdown cost at least $11 billion, of which about $3 billion was never recovered. (Committee for Responsible Budget)
The ripple effects are not just macro: delayed pay, halted contracts, stalled permits, weakened consumer confidence—these all compound the human toll.
Federal workers & contractors
In the 2025 shutdown, forecasts suggest 900,000 federal workers may be furloughed and additional hundreds of thousands working without pay. (Wikipedia)
Though the Fair Treatment Act ensures back pay when the shutdown ends, many families cannot absorb a gap. (Wikipedia)
Medicaid & healthcare access
Medicaid is technically a mandatory program and thus often described as exempt from shutdown funding freezes. (CBS News)
But in practice, disruptions may occur: state payment portals might fail, provider systems may struggle to submit claims, and administrative operations may slow. (In a past funding pause, some states reported blocked Medicaid portals — though federal officials denied payments were halted.) (Reuters)
Telehealth & hospital-at-home programs
Perhaps the most vulnerable casualty in this moment is the telehealth flexibilities and hospital-at-home waivers — emergency-era allowances that expanded access, especially for rural and home-bound patients. (MedicalEconomics)
These waivers are set to expire on October 1 (unless Congress acts). (CMA Docs)
Without them:
- Medicare may revert to stricter geographic limits, blocking home-based telehealth for many beneficiaries (CMA Docs)
- The Acute Hospital Care at Home program, which allowed patients to receive hospital-level care at home, may be suspended; some hospitals have already been told to transfer or discharge patients. (OncLive)
- Providers may withhold scheduling future telehealth visits, fearing lack of reimbursement or legal ambiguity. (HC Innovation Group)
As one hospital administrator put it: “It’s devastating…it’s unacceptable.” (OncLive)
Hospitals, clinics, and nonprofits
Many smaller clinics rely on federal grants, partnerships, or reimbursements that may be delayed. Rural hospitals already operating on thin margins face real danger if reimbursements lag or regulatory oversight shuts down.
Vulnerable populations
Individuals with chronic conditions, the elderly, those dependent on telehealth or home care, or those in rural communities are at heightened risk. The digital divide in Medicaid populations complicates telehealth adoption (poor connectivity, device access, literacy) even in normal times. (arXiv)

In sum: while the shutdown’s most dramatic headline is often federal pay, the downstream impacts on healthcare, access, and human dignity may be deeper and more enduring.

III. Turning to Scripture — and Practical Steps

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
In this moment of anxiety and strain, Yeshua’s invitation is real: rest in Him — not as a retreat from responsibility but as a refuge for our souls as we face what lies ahead.

The world around us may shift, but God’s compassion remains steadfast. In that security, we can act wisely, not in panic.

Here are some practical steps for these uncertain days:

Check your coverage status
- Confirm your Medicaid (or Medicare, ACA) status, and whether any documentation or recertification is due soon.
- If you rely on telehealth, ask providers whether they will continue services and under what terms.
- If your clinic or provider hints at delays, seek alternatives early (community health centers, sliding-scale clinics).
Reach out to your local community
- Call local non-profit clinics, free clinics, or church-based ministries to ask whether they are offering care or support during the shutdown.
- Consider organizing neighbors or church groups for mutual support — rides to appointments, sharing information, praying together.
Communicate with your representatives
- Contact your senators and representative: urge them to preserve healthcare access — especially telehealth and Medicaid funding — in any continuing resolution.
- Use advocacy tools (e.g. from healthcare associations or telemedicine groups) to efficiently message your concerns. (ATA)
- Encourage them to include retroactive reimbursement provisions for services rendered during a lapse. (ATA)
Document, prepare, and budget
- If you are a federal worker or contractor, prepare a short-term budget in case pay is delayed.
- For providers or clinics, keep detailed records of services rendered — which may matter if reimbursement is granted later.
- If possible, keep open lines of communication with patients about scheduling flexibility, alternative modalities, or support resources.
Hold fast to community, prayer, and hope
- Lean on your church, small groups, or close friends — share burdens, pray together, share information, and lift one another.
- Remind one another that shutdowns are not permanent: history shows resolutions eventually emerge, and services resume.
- Keep faith alive even in frustration, knowing that God's promises transcend political tides.

Recognize: these are legitimately scary and unfair moments. Fear, anger, grief — all are valid. But we do not walk this valley alone.

IV. Offering Free Healing Scripture Cards

In light of this crisis, I’m offering a free set of 52 healing scripture cards — one for each week of the year. I wish to share them not as a sales pitch, but as a lifeline: a reminder that in shifting policies, uncertain budgets, and broken systems, God’s Word remains steadfast, speaking peace, presence, and promise.

You can request them as a downloadable PDF or even have them mailed to you (with no cost). Use them as follows:

Each morning, draw one card and meditate on the verse — let it frame your heart for the day.
Share with someone who is anxious, ill, or burdened — a neighbor, friend, healthcare worker.
Place them in visible spots: beside your bed, on your fridge, in your workspace — so God’s word surrounds you.

I encourage you to request, share, and pass these cards along. Let them be companions when the lights flicker, when anxiety strikes, when the path seems opaque.

V. Benediction & Call to Trust

Political budgets may lurch; funding may pause; telehealth waivers may expire — but God’s care does not waver. In the shifting sands of uncertainty, His promises remain the rock beneath our feet.

Let us pray fervently — for wisdom, for protection of vulnerable lives, for our leaders to act justly — and let us act courageously, contacting representatives, standing with communities, offering what support we can.

May the peace of Yeshua guard your hearts:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Be strong, beloved. Hope endures. Let us walk forward — together, in faith — into whatever dawn the morrow brings.