06/03/2025
Email sent to: Senator Joni Ernst from: Bob Erlenbusch, Public Benefits Consultant Federal Basic Needs Monitoring & Advocacy Project
Dear Senator Ernst,
The Coalition of CA Welfare Rights Organizations [CCWRO] was horrified at your insensitive and callous response that changes to the Medicaid program would not cause some people to die prematurely---- "....we are all going to die, so for heaven's sake."
You missed the point!
The reality is that there are proven links between poverty rate and premature, or preventable deaths. Specifically, there is an average gap of 19 years in healthy life expectancy between high poverty rates and wealthier communities. A study in 2023 found that individuals experiencing current poverty had a 42% increased hazard of premature deaths compared to those not in poverty.
If you are homeless, the figure becomes even more staggering. The National Health Care for the Homeless Council has documented over 40 homeless deaths studies that all came to the same conclusion: homelessness, on average, takes 25 years off a person's life. In other words homeless people die, on average, at the age of 50, compared to the national life expectancy of about 75 years. Tragically, in Los Angeles, seven people experience homelessness, die every day.
Finally, Medicaid expansion has been linked to reductions in overall mortality rates, including drug overdose deaths. Studies show that Medicaid expansion can lead to a decrease in all-cause mortality.
We urge you to publicly apologize to the millions of Americans that live in the shadow of premature death, due to living in destitute conditions, potentially made worse by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. This apology should include a retraction of your sarcastic "apology" where you said, "I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the Tooth Fairy as well."
The American public demands real policy solutions to the issues currently being debated in the Senate, and not condescending and dismissive comments that make it appear that you have absolutely no empathy for low-income people, nor any understanding of the harm these mean-spirited proposals will cause.
CCWRO, founded in 1982, is a statewide, nonprofit organization that provides back-up services to qualified legal service field programs. These services include litigation, technical assistance, administrative advocacy, training and education and policy advocacy on public benefits programs. The mission of CCWRO is to help Californians living in poverty with government basic needs programs.
I Look forward to your response.
Bob Erlenbusch
Public Benefits Consultant
Federal Basic Needs
Monitoring & Advocacy Project
CCWRO
cell: 916-889-4367
