A Citizen’s Forum contribution by Dr. Faith Whittier, OBGYN, Chief Medical Officer, Northern Nevada HOPES:
As we observe World Health Day 2025, themed “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” it’s vital to reflect on the role Medicaid plays in ensuring strong starts for mothers and infants across Northern Nevada. This year’s campaign calls on governments and health systems to prevent maternal and newborn deaths and to prioritize women’s long-term health and well-being.
At Northern Nevada HOPES, we are dedicated to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care to underserved communities. As Chief Medical Officer, I’m proud to lead a team that offers integrated medical and wrap-around services—supporting our patients and improving outcomes through a holistic approach.
Medicaid is a lifeline for many of our patients, especially pregnant women and children. It covers critical services that keep families healthy and stable. Nationally, Medicaid covers nearly half of all children and four in ten pregnant women. At HOPES, 37% of our nearly 18,000 patients rely on Medicaid—a reflection of the essential role it plays in our region.
But that lifeline is under threat. Proposals to reduce federal Medicaid funding, limit provider tax revenues, or impose eligibility restrictions could lead to millions in cuts, jeopardizing the ability of health centers like ours to care for those who need it most.
These cuts don’t just reduce coverage—they risk the survival of rural hospitals, safety-net clinics, and the broader health system. Patients without Medicaid still need care, but without insurance, they strain already-stretched resources and force providers to scale back services. The resulting payer mix shift threatens financial sustainability and puts our most vulnerable at risk.
The impact would ripple beyond healthcare. Medicaid strengthens local economies by supporting health centers, creating jobs, and reducing avoidable health costs. Undermining it would destabilize not only care, but our region’s economy as well.
At the same time, the closure of the CDC’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) marks a troubling step backward in maternal and infant health. PRAMS provided vital data on the experiences of new mothers—data we relied on to shape care and policy. Without it, our ability to address maternal health challenges becomes even more dependent on Medicaid and local action.
On World Health Day, we must reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all families—regardless of income—have access to the care they need to survive and thrive. We urge lawmakers to protect and strengthen Medicaid. The stakes are too high. Our community’s health, our economy, and our children’s futures depend on it.