FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 30, 2025 
Contact: Gena Madow, gmadow@communitycatalyst.org

Community Catalyst and partners highlight real-life consequences of coverage cuts and rising medical debt burdens in Capitol Hill Day of Action  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, leading health justice organization Community Catalyst and a coalition of national, state, and local partners gathered in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to protect Medicaid and confront the growing medical debt crisis pushing families into financial hardship. 

The #CareNotCollections Day of Action brought together people with firsthand experience of losing coverage and facing unaffordable medical bills to meet with directly with Republican and Democratic lawmakers and staff, sharing their stories and calling for practical, bipartisan solutions.  

“At the heart of this issue are real people—parents, veterans, cancer survivors, people who have just given birth—who are being forced to choose between getting care and going into debt,” said Mona Shah, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy at Community Catalyst. “This isn’t about partisanship. It’s about protecting the basic promise that when people get sick, they can get care without risking everything they’ve worked for.” 

While in Washington, Community Catalyst delivered a letter on behalf of 183 local, state and national organizations urging Congress to oppose any cuts to Medicaid and protect people from catastrophic medical debt. Medicaid provides affordable coverage to almost 80 million people and plays a critical role in preventing debt and promoting long-term financial stability.  

A group of people holding signs in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
Advocates and storytellers gather outside the Capitol after a bipartisan briefing with congressional staff in the Rayburn House Office Building.  Organizations represented included Community Catalyst, Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PA), Arab American Family Services (IL), Catalyst Miami (FL), and Center for Health Progress (CO). 
A person with long hair wearing glasses and green shirt
Beyssa, a self-advocate and storyteller from Florida, shares her medical debt story with congressional staff. Beyssa was wrongly removed from Medicaid and left with a $134,000 medical bill—despite Medicaid being billed just $3,000. She went months without coverage, facing immense emotional and financial strain. Her story is not unique. 
A person in a black shirt and glasses
Jason, a freelance illustrator from Pennsylvania, speaks with congressional staff about navigating thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs following his thyroid cancer diagnosis at age 33. His silver plan—made affordable through premium tax credits—proved lifesaving. He now advocates for extending these credits, so others aren’t forced to choose between care and financial ruin.

Research shows broad public concern about the rising cost of care and overwhelming support—across party lines—for making health care more affordable, protecting Medicaid, and curbing medical debt. 

Participants spent the day: 

  • Briefing congressional staff on public perceptions around health care affordability and how cuts to Medicaid would drive up medical debt 
  • Meeting with lawmakers and their staff from both parties to share their personal stories 
  • Launching a digital and paid media campaign across key states under the banner #CareNotCollections 

Rocio, a Colorado mother of four, shared: “If Medicaid is cut or reduced at all, it would have devastating effects on our family and many more families like mine that have chronic diseases or that need constant medical care to stay alive.”  Her daughter relies on Medicaid for life-saving insulin and care for Type 1 diabetes. Before qualifying for Medicaid, Rocio fell into deep medical debt from co-pays, wage garnishment, and high-interest payday loans. Medicaid has brought her family stability—and hope for a healthier, more secure future. 

Manal, a mother of three in Illinois facing over $17,000 of medical debt, shared: “We need a system that puts patients first—not paperwork or policies that push people deeper into debt. Because no one should be punished for being sick.” Living with a chronic illness, Manal saw her credit destroyed by medical debt, making it difficult to find housing. After being denied financial assistance and interpretation services, she finally qualified for Medicaid and is grateful for the relief it provides. 

In addition to sharing stories and experiences on Capitol Hill, today’s actions included a coordinated digital and radio campaign to raise public awareness about the connection between Medicaid coverage and financial stability. Educational content is running this week, with nationwide weather radio spots and targeted digital ads helping communities better understand what’s at stake — and how policy decisions impact their lives. 

As Congress debates funding priorities, advocates say the stakes couldn’t be clearer: coverage saves lives and prevents debt. Rushed cuts to Medicaid will do the opposite. 

The public is clear: Cutting Medicaid fuels medical debt. We’re done paying the price.  

Already, people are being pushed into debt, losing coverage, and struggling to afford basic care—while corporate health care giants and private equity firms continue to profit. Medicaid remains one of our most effective tools to keep people covered and out of debt. Cutting it now would deepen the crisis, raise costs, and threaten families’ health and financial security. 

# # # 

About Community Catalyst: 
 
Community Catalyst is a national organization dedicated to building the power of people to create a health system rooted in race equity and health justice, and a society where health is a right for all. We’re an experienced, trusted partner to organizations across the country, a change agent to policymakers at the local, state, and national level, and both an adversary and a collaborator to health systems in our efforts to advance health justice. We partner with local, state and national organizations and leaders to leverage and build power so that people are at the center of important decisions about health and health care, whether they are made by health care executives, in state houses, or on Capitol Hill. Together with partners, we’re building a powerful, united movement with a shared vision of and strategy for a health system accountable to all people. Learn more at www.communitycatalyst.org.