Caregivers visit the Alaska State Capitol to meet with lawmakers to advocate for Medicaid and fair wages, in an undated photo. Commentary author Debbie Mulholland is the third from the left in the front. SEIU 775 represents long-term care workers in Alaska, Washington and Montana. (Photo provided by Amber Lee)
Being a caregiver was one of the most meaningful and fulfilling roles of my life. For 10 years, I had the privilege of helping people who depended on me for their daily needs. It wasn’t just about providing meals, assisting with showers, or making sure medications were taken on time — it was about being there. For many of the people I cared for, I was their only human interaction that day, sometimes that entire week. I loved being the person who made sure they weren’t alone, who reassured them that someone was looking out for them.
Even though I retired two years ago, I still feel deeply connected to Alaska’s caregiving community. I see the struggles that caregivers face, and more importantly, I see the devastating consequences for the people who rely on caregivers. A crisis is unfolding. Alaska’s health care system is at risk because Congress is trying to make massive cuts to Medicaid.
Medicaid is not just a budget line — it is a lifeline. So many Alaskans depend on it: pregnant women, infants, children with serious diseases, seniors, disabled adults, accident victims who never fully recovered. Many of them cannot survive without caregiver services funded by Medicaid.
That’s why I am so deeply disappointed by U.S. Rep. Nick Begich’s vote that will lead to cutting Medicaid funding. It is devastating to see him align himself with an agenda that is ignoring the real suffering of the people he was elected to represent. His vote tells us that he does not care if people die without Medicaid. That children suffer. That parents are left without help. That seniors go without care.
It makes me cry to think about it—because I know the reality of what will happen. Caregivers will lose their jobs. And more importantly, the people they care for will lose their lives.
Rep. Begich has forgotten us. He is not fighting for the people of Alaska — he is fighting against us. And if we don’t stand up and make our voices heard, more of our neighbors, our friends, our family members will be left behind.
We cannot let that happen.
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