In Washington state, over 1.8 million people rely on Medicaid; WA-04 and WA-05—represented by Republicans—have the highest proportion of people on Medicaid in WA
ICYMI: Murray, Warnock, Rep. Schrier Introduce Bill to Improve Children’s Health Care Access By Strengthening Medicaid
***VIDEO FROM PRESS CALL HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a virtual press conference with health care workers in Central and Eastern Washington to sound the alarm on the massive, steep cuts to Medicaid that House and Senate Republicans are right now working to pass via the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority to pass.
Nearly 80 million Americans nationwide rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for their health coverage and access to care, including over 1.8 million people in Washington state who are enrolled in Apple Health, Washington state’s Medicaid program. In Washington state, 47 percent of children, one in six adults, three in five nursing home residents, and three in eight people with disabilities are covered by Apple Health. House Republicans’ budget proposal directs cuts of at least $880 billion to Medicaid and other health care programs, which would have devastating consequences for Washington state’s health care system—especially in Washington’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, which have the highest proportions of populations who rely on Medicaid in the state.
Republicans have offered various proposals to drastically cut Medicaid, all of which would mean cutting services and kicking people off their health care coverage. For example, 782,000 Washingtonians, or 42 percent of adults on Medicaid in Washington state, would be at risk of losing coverage if Republicans institute so-called work requirements, which been proven not to increase employment—but rather strip health coverage from people with low incomes, most of whom are already working full or part-time, or not working due to circumstances like school or caregiving responsibilities. Reducing the federal match rate for states like Washington that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, another idea that has been discussed, would force Washington state to spend $2,754,000,000 more to maintain its Medicaid expansion, and threaten coverage for 647,416 people in Washington. Removing or lowering the 50 percent floor on federal Medicaid match rates would shift costs to states dramatically, and would mean Washington state would have to pay an additional $1,197,000,000, or 18 percent every year.
“Right now, in Washington D.C., House Republicans just voted for $880 billion dollars in cuts directed at Medicaid—for reference—that is more than all of federal Medicaid spending in 2023! Cutting that deep comes with its own cost—one paid for by Washington state families,” Senator Murray said on today’s press call. “Hospitals will close their doors as this funding drops. Moms and babies will lose health care coverage. They’ll wonder how to get postpartum care or pay for a checkup if their sick child desperately needs it. Seniors will be cut off from home care services and forced out of long-term care facilities. Families in our rural communities will have to travel further than ever for health care. Children and teens who need lifesaving mental health care will suffer. People with disabilities and caregivers will be cut off from support they need. Emergency response times will skyrocket… Republicans need to stop listening to Donald Trump and Elon Musk who want tax breaks for their billionaire buddies, and start listening to their constituents who just want to stay on their health care.”
“As an ICU nurse in the Yakima area, I am deeply concerned about the impact this is going to have on our community and the patients we serve. It will be devastating to our most vulnerable populations who, without Medicaid, will lose access to care. Our already burdened emergency rooms will be overrun. Millions of lives literally depend on this critical lifeline,” said Julia Barcott, a nurse in Yakima who participated in the press call.
“Dismantling Medicaid would mean that patients no longer have access to regular preventive healthcare to manage chronic disease, to access crucial prescriptions, or to receive mental, behavioral, and oral health services. Medicaid coverage ensures that our family members and neighbors receive the essential services they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives,” said Aaron Wilson, CEO of CHAS Health in Spokane. “If Medicaid is cut, there’s not a scenario where health systems don’t end up eliminating critical, lifesaving services and programs as a result of the financial repercussions it would cause. Medicaid cuts would be devastating to the more than 230,000 people living in both urban and rural communities of Eastern Washington who would no longer have access to health care services they need.”
“I live in the Yakima community. I’m a home care provider, and I transport people to live saving treatments. I’m really upset about looming Medicaid cuts; my clients are worried that one day I won’t show up to work. The system is confusing enough, and they don’t understand what will happen. They don’t deserve this. I may be able to get a job somewhere else, but what about clients who depend on Medicaid funding to receive care, what’s going to happen to them? Where are they going to get the money for life saving care and treatments? Republican lawmakers don’t see who they’re impacting and what they’re doing,” said Nelly P. from Sunnyside, Washington, who participated in the press call today.
“Republicans are laying the groundwork to slash trillions from Medicaid to give more tax breaks to billionaires, wealthy CEOs, and the biggest companies. The destruction from these cuts to Medicaid will not discriminate based on where you live or who you voted for. Every community has someone who counts on Medicaid, but rural communities in particular will suffer some of the greatest consequences. Millions stand to lose coverage and costs will go up. Medicaid is a lifeline for rural hospitals and any cuts will further jeopardize the health and well-being of people across these communities. From rural communities to big cities, red states to blue states, Medicaid cuts will devastate millions of American families,” said Yvette Fontenot, Senior Advisor for Policy and Legislative Affairs at Protect Our Care.
Nationwide, nearly half of children in America are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicaid pays for nearly half of births in the U.S. Medicaid also pays for services for 2 in 3 nursing home residents and pays for home-based services for close to 2 million seniors—allowing them to age safely at home—as well as close to 3 million people with disabilities and other health conditions. Cutting Medicaid will lead to accelerated hospital closures, particularly in rural areas. Medicaid also covers 1 in 4 people with a mental health or substance use disorder, and serves as the largest payer for mental health and substance use services for communities nationwide amid an ongoing overdose and opioid epidemic made worse by an influx of fentanyl. Recent polling from Hart Research found that 71 percent of voters who backed Trump said cutting Medicaid would be unacceptable and voters overall were even more opposed to it, with 82 percent saying so.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below and video is HERE:
“Well, good morning to everyone, and thank you so much for joining this call today. This is really important. Right now, in Washington state—1.8 million people are covered on their health care through Medicaid. But right now, in Washington D.C.—House Republicans just voted for $880 billion dollars in cuts directed at Medicaid.
“For reference—that is more than all of federal Medicaid spending in 2023! Cutting that deep comes with its own cost—one paid for by Washington state families.
“Hospitals will close their doors as this funding drops.
“Moms and babies will lose health care coverage. They’ll wonder how to get post-partum care or pay for a checkup if their sick child desperately needs it.
“Seniors will be cut off from home care services and forced out of long-term care facilities.
“Families in our rural communities will have to travel further than ever for health care.
“Children and teens who need lifesaving mental health care will suffer.
“People with disabilities and caregivers will be cut off from support they need.
“Emergency response times will skyrocket—from closures which cost precious time as the nearest ER gets further away, and crowding, as patients put off preventive care they can no longer afford until it causes problems that they can no longer ignore.
“Republicans need to stop listening to Donald Trump and Elon Musk who want tax breaks for their billionaire buddies—and start listening to their constituents who just want to stay on their health care.
“Because if they did—maybe they would realize Medicaid is a lifeline for people in red and blue communities alike. In fact, 70 percent of people who voted for Trump said cuts to Medicaid would be unacceptable.
“Right here in Washington state, the two districts with the most people covered through Medicaid and CHIP are both represented by Republicans.
“And yet—House Republicans are charging ahead with cutting Medicaid by $880 billion in order to give tax breaks to billionaires. How are they ever going to explain that to folks back home?
“Here’s another question to consider: How many billionaires are there in the 4th Congressional District?
“How many billionaires are in the 5th District? Well, that’s a genuine question—and I want you to know I looked, and I looked—and the best I can tell, it’s pretty much next to none.
“But you want to know how many people in the 4th District are on Medicaid? 250,000 people in the 4th District.
“You know how many people in the 5th District are on Medicaid? 200,000 people.
“One-in-five people in Washington state are covered by Medicaid—including three-in-eight people with disabilities, three-in-five seniors, and nearly half of all children!
“Are Republicans really going to shut Washington state families out of the doctor’s office so they can roll out the red carpet for billionaires?
“Well, the good news is, we still have a long road ahead before the final passage of these devastating cuts. And at every step of that road—I am going to be doing everything I can to protect health care for our families.
“I will be lifting up the voices of families in Washington state. Every voice and every story will matter. Every phone call, every letter could make the difference.
“So I am going to be making sure that, at the very least, our Republican House colleagues hear from the constituents they are hurting.
“And I’m really proud today to be joined by constituents of mine from the 4th and 5th districts and to hear from them. So with that, I’m going to turn it over to Aaron who can speak about this—so Aaron, thank you for being with us today.”
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