Columbus, Ohio – The President of the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) issued a sharp rebuke of Senator John Husted’s recent statements misrepresenting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), calling his remarks “reckless, divisive, and dangerously misleading.”
“Senator Husted’s claim that ‘illegal aliens’ are driving up Medicaid costs is flat-out false,” said Rick Lucas, RN, President of the Ohio Nurses Association. “Federal law explicitly prohibits undocumented individuals from receiving full Medicaid benefits. These falsehoods do nothing but distract from the real problem — political leaders refusing to adequately fund the healthcare system that keeps millions of Ohioans covered.”
ONA emphasized that without sustained federal funding for the ACA and Medicaid, working families across Ohio will face devastating coverage losses, forcing many to choose between basic necessities and their healthcare.
“People who are already struggling to afford gas and groceries will absolutely lose coverage if Washington fails to act,” Lucas continued. “That’s not just a statistic — these are our patients, family members, and neighbors. The ripple effects of cutting coverage will hit every corner of this state.”
Lucas warned that such funding cuts would have catastrophic consequences for rural hospitals, particularly in communities like East Liverpool, Coshocton, Gallipolis, Defiance, and Van Wert, where facilities are already fighting to stay open.
“When people lose coverage, hospitals lose revenue and communities lose care,” said Lucas. “We will see emergency departments overwhelmed, clinics shuttered, and patients getting sicker before they ever see a doctor. Nurses and health professionals see these outcomes every day. We know what’s at stake.”
Lucas added that by spreading false information and refusing to defend these critical programs, Senator Husted is abandoning Ohioans — including the most vulnerable among us: children, seniors, and people living with chronic illness.
Ohioans deserve truth and leadership — not fearmongering and scapegoating,” Lucas said. “Healthcare is a human right, and the nurses and health professionals of Ohio will not stand by while politicians play games with people’s lives.”
Formed in 1904, the Ohio Nurses Association is a powerful network of nurses and health professionals. Our mission is to unite and empower nurses and health professionals, championing their rights, promoting professional practice, and advocating for quality care for all patients in Ohio, while fostering a strong and cohesive professional union community. To learn more or to become a member of the Ohio Nurses Association, visit https://ohnurses.org/.
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