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The citizens of the Albert Lea area are planning to rally Thursday evening to oppose cuts to Medicaid.

The rally is slated for 5:30 p.m. in Central Park, at the corner of St. Mary Avenue and Clark Street.

According to a press release, the Trump administration and most Republicans in Congress are planning to cut health care by $880 billion to pay for a tax cut for the wealthy. They will cut Medicaid to get that tax cut.

The Medicaid Program provides medical insurance for 25% of Minnesotans. Twenty-two percent of the people in Freeborn County depend on this program, including 40% of the county’s children, pregnant moms and nearly half of the seniors in nursing homes.

According to a Georgetown University study, nearly 21 million low-income people nationwide would lose coverage if the proposed cuts go into effect.  This would result in sicker kids, pregnant women skipping prenatal doctor’s visits, nursing homes closures, and hospitals and clinics closing in rural areas.

Local residents are rallying to put pressure on all representatives to fight against these cuts to the health care of children, families and seniors.