Medicaid turns 60, as immigrant and BIPOC communities face uncertainty

July 30 marked the 60th anniversary of Medicaid, a program that since 1965, has provided critical health care coverage to millions of people in the U.S. It was created as a promise: that no one should be denied medical care because of their income, background, or zip code. But as we mark this milestone, that promise is in jeopardy, especially for immigrant, BIPOC, and rural communities who rely on Medicaid the most.

Legislation that included deep cuts to Medicaid was signed into law by the president. While many of these cuts won’t take effect until 2027, their impact will be devastating. These changes will severely limit access to coverage for millions, particularly those already living at the margins.

For many, Medicaid s the only way to see a doctor, receive prenatal care, or access family planning. It’s the largest payer of reproductive healthcare in the United States, covering 42% of all births and more than 75% of publicly funded family planning services. For people in rural areas or health care deserts, Medicaid is the last lifeline.

In rural America, where over 60% of pregnant people rely on Medicaid and OB-GYNs are increasingly hard to find, any change in funding can be catastrophic. Patients already drive hundreds of miles for basic services—cancer screenings, contraception, abortion care. Add new hurdles and these journeys become impossible for many.

These cuts won’t just affect undocumented immigrants. Immigrant families, including many with U.S. citizen children, will be among the hardest hit. Years of anti-immigrant policies have already led to fear and confusion about accessing public benefits. Now, eligibility restrictions and additional red tape will create further barriers.

At the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), we are already seeing the strain. We work with pregnant people from across the country—many in rural or under-resourced areas who can’t afford abortion care or find it nearby.

Black and Latina women are already more likely to rely on publicly funded clinics for reproductive care. These communities are also more likely to experience hospital closures and provider shortages. Cuts to Medicaid only deepen existing racial and economic disparities.

WRRAP is nonpartisan, but we are not neutral when it comes to justice and survival. Instead of weakening Medicaid, we should be strengthening its reach and renewing its purpose for the next generation.

Here’s what you can do right now:

When our rights are under attack, compliance is complicity. Immigrant and BIPOC communities cannot afford to lose Medicaid. .

As we celebrate 60 years of Medicaid, be loud, be unapologetic, be unrelenting. Because healthcare is not a privilege. It is a right. And it is worth fighting for.

Sylvia Ghazarian is executive director of the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP).