Republicans Want to Rip Away Health Care from Millions to Fund Tax Breaks for the Wealthy
Washington D.C. — Today, Governors Josh Green, M.D. (HI), Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), Ned Lamont (CT), Tina Kotek (OR), and Matt Meyer (DE) joined Protect Our Care to highlight how Medicaid is a lifeline in their states. Republicans are trying to slash Medicaid, and if they get their way, millions will lose coverage, including children, new moms, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities — all to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.
In the last week, President Trump endorsed the House budget plan which slashes Medicaid funding by at least $880 billion and up to $2 trillion, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has confirmed the GOP plan to dismantle Medicaid, saying Elon Musk will cut at least “a trillion” from Medicaid. Americans across party lines oppose cuts to Medicaid, and new polling finds that a majority of Americans think the government should spend more on health care — not less.
“The Democratic governors with us today are fighting every day to improve the health care of the people in their states,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “While Republicans in Congress wage a war against American health care, these governors are at the front lines working to improve access and lower costs — often with bipartisan support in their state legislatures and always with bipartisan support from their constituents. They are on the frontline of this battle, and we owe them our thanks.”
“I came to be a family physician in rural Hawaii, where almost all of my patients were on Medicaid,” said Governor Josh Green (HI). “Without Medicaid, there would be no care for those individuals in rural Hawaii, and that plays out over and over again all across America. Can you imagine a country that doesn’t have critical access to hospitals, or rural hospitals, where people instead have to drive hundreds of miles to be cared for? This is an existential moment for America where so many millions of Americans are about to have their health care taken away from them.”
“This is a life and death situation for so many of our citizens and all of our states,” said Governor Ned Lamont (CT). “All they’re going to do is cut back on Medicaid, cut back on health care for our poor citizens, and push costs to the states. That’s going to be tough for our smaller hospitals, our rural hospitals, and making sure that access is available throughout our states – big and small. That’s what we’re really at risk of right now.”
“Medicaid is absolutely critical to making sure Oregonians have the care they need,” said Governor Tina Kotek (OR). “Medicaid cuts at the federal level will have real consequences for real people in my state and in states around the country, and it’s not what people are asking for. I am not hearing from Oregonians that we need big tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations. They’re worried about their household budgets, and they need predictability from their federal government. We need the federal government to do their part, continue to maintain Medicaid, continue to be a funding partner for health care in our states.”
“Americans are seeing health care harder to access, and by cutting Medicaid, it just puts an additional burden on us,” said Governor Matt Meyer (DE). “The challenge we have right now is that we’re not sure we have a partner in Washington who wants to work with us. They’re looking at the federal budgets that have a deep and direct impact on Americans, and they’re slashing it with a machete. Our care is going to be directly affected by this act.”
“Cuts to Medicaid affect every American,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM). “If we don’t have funding in health care, your own private insurance options are diminished, your prescription drug access will be diminished, and your costs will skyrocket. The right answer is to invest in a meaningful health care system that protects every American.”