Trumpcare proves ‘ pro- life’ is a joke

Former congressman Barney Frank has joked for decades that Republicans believe life begins at conception and ends at birth. We’re now learning that for America’s right wing, Obamacare actually began in 1965. That’s when Medicaid became the heart of America’s health care safety net, a bulwark that now covers more than 70 million Americans including about half of all births, 76% of poor kids and 64% of all seniors in nursing homes.

All that may sound like welfare to the right, but you could argue that there’s nothing more conservative in these United States than the services Medicaid provides for citizens with disabilities.

The 50 unique state programs cover 60% of all children with disabilities, affirming the “prolife” decisions of parents to have children regardless of the potential complications. Parents of kids with severe special needs incur expenses so immense that even affluent families could be bankrupted without the supplemental support of Medicaid.

The Senate GOP argues its proposed Medicaid cuts of up to 39% won’t hit families caring for children with disabilities. But don’t believe the spin.

Yes, there is a “carve out” to protect “blind and disabled” children, but that will only protect a “fraction of kids” with severe special needs, according to Janis Guerney, public policy co- director at Family Voices. Additionally, kids with “complex conditions — such as cystic fibrosis, autism and Down syndrome — would be vulnerable to whatever cuts their states make,” according to Kaiser Health News’ Jordan Rau.

States have to balance their budgets by law, so they’ll be forced into constant “Sophie’s choices” over who is most deserving of care — the elderly, poor kids or people with disabilities.

The result will inevitably be broken families. “You’ll see kids going into pediatric nursing homes, kids not being able to be discharged from hospitals,” said Meg Comeau, a researcher at the Boston University School of Public Health’s Catalyst Center.

For adults with disabilities, these life- changing policy choices can be a matter of freedom versus incarceration. Medicaid support makes it possible for millions of them to participate in society. Subsidized attendants allow them to bathe, dress and do the one thing conservatives say they want all of us to do: work.

Up to 3 million disabled people could be ripped from their lives and forced into nursing homes, according to Mary Lou Breslin of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

Conservatives have been trying to gut Medicaid for decades. Yet it was Ronald Reagan who signed Medicaid’s home and community- based services into law, based on the conservative premise that people who have committed no crime should not be held captive by the government or anyone.

Trumpcare’s assault on those among us with severe disabilities has revealed the truth in Frank’s jest about the “pro- life” movement. It becomes very “prochoice” the moment you are born. But the choices are made by the rich and the powerful — not by you.

Jason Sattler is a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and a columnist for The National Memo.