Although TRICARE meets many needs of military families, Medicaid provides more comprehensive care for children through its pediatric benefits, which include yearly check-ups and dental services. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

As Republican lawmakers consider cutting billions of dollars in Medicaid services, a new report reveals the proposed reductions could affect thousands of military families in Pennsylvania. The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families says more than 850,000 people with TRICARE, the military’s health insurance, also rely on Medicaid.

Retired Army Brigadier General George Schwartz points out that one in 10 children of active-duty military depends on Medicaid for additional health coverage, and warns that without proper coverage for their families, service members may leave the military for careers with better benefits, which would affect recruitment.

“And as those young people reach the age where they’re eligible for military service, or the military is competing with private industry and all sorts of organizations for these young people. And so that, from a mission readiness standpoint, this is a matter of national security,” he explained.

Pennsylvania is home to more than 2,500 active-duty military members, and more than 111,000 veterans and military contractors. The budget reconciliation bill is in the Senate with a vote expected by the end of June. Republicans are pushing for $2 trillion in federal spending cuts.

Medicaid also serves 40% of children in the United States with a benefit that allows them to receive preventive and ameliorative care.

Joan Alker, executive director, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said Medicaid is vital for service members whose kids need more complex medical care.

“The TRICARE benefit package just isn’t enough, so Medicaid is making TRICARE work for those families by covering the high cost of services and some benefits that those children otherwise would not have access to,” she explained.

Schwartz served in both the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard and said most of his military experience has been as a citizen soldier. He added Medicaid cuts would also affect veterans and their families, since around 50% of young people in the nation currently use Medicaid for their health coverage.

“I am very concerned that this could affect those citizen soldiers too, because it was only since 911 that TRICARE was extended to reservists and National Guardsmen because it was viewed as a matter of improving the readiness of the reserve components,” he continued.

According to the report, an estimated 3.4 million children of veterans depend on Medicaid for their health-care coverage.