SPOKANE, Wash. — A group of healthcare workers gathered outside an event for U.S. Representative Michael Baumgartner to protest against cuts to Medicaid. It is one of several protests in Spokane over the past few weeks.
On Wednesday afternoon, Senator Maria Cantwell held a roundtable discussion with local healthcare providers and patients to talk about the potential impact of these cuts.
Rep. Baumgartner voted in favor of the budget the House of representatives approved in February.
This budget calls on the Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion over the next 10 years. It’s this committee that has jurisdiction over health insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare.
As of July 2024, 54% of kids and 22% of adults in Eastern Washington were enrolled in Medicaid.
At Sen. Cantwell’s roundtable, healthcare providers and patients voiced concerns about the potential Medicaid cuts.
Healthcare providers fear clinic closures and reduced access to care.
One Medicaid recipient said she wouldn’t be alive without it.
“I wouldn’t be able to see the cardiologist or the eye doctor or any doctor for that matter because I couldn’t afford it,” said Gail Halverson. “My social security isn’t that much.”
Like Halverson, nearly 2 million people in Washington rely on Medicaid to help with healthcare costs.
While the House-approved budget does call on the Energy and Commerce Committee to make cuts, the word Medicaid is not listed in the budget.
According to the Associated Press, one lawmaker said President Trump wouldn’t allow Medicaid to be cut.
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