CINCINNATI — As the federal funding debate ramps up on Capitol Hill, a Cincinnati clinic focused on helping people with autism is concerned about potential cuts to Medicaid.
Ruby ABA offers Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to anyone diagnosed with autism from infancy through age 21. This therapy helps those with autism communicate, develop social abilities and learn new skills.
Caleb Danishefsky, director of operations at Ruby ABA, said about 60% of the people they currently work with use Medicaid to access this treatment. If there are any cuts to Medicaid, the impact could be severe in Ohio — a state Danishefsky says already doesn't sufficiently provide resources for those living with autism.
"We're going to fight for them," Danishefsky said. "I mean we do that every day here, on many levels."
Learn more about Ruby ABA and its fight for funding here:
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republican leaders' budget plan "does nothing to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid" though Republican leaders have denied it.
"(There are) no cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security," Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said.
The proposed plan directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find ways to cut the deficit by at least $880 billion over the next decade.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says because Medicaid accounts for 93% of the funding under this committee's jurisdiction, it's impossible to cut the deficit without touching this program that serves one in five Americans.
"If federal funding is cut further, all the proposed changes which are supposed to increase the access to care are going to go away," Danishefsky said.
Danishefsky, though skeptical, is hoping cuts don't happen so that Ruby ABA and other providers can expand.
"We are very committed to the state of Ohio," said Danishefsky. "There are other providers talking about leaving the state. That is something we won't do."
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