Republicans are searching for $2 trillion in spending cuts to extend President Trump’s 2017 tax breaks, and create new ones, putting Medicaid funding at risk.
Medicaid insures roughly 20% of Americans, with even higher rates in Eastern Washington. Currently, 2.4 million Washingtonians depend on Medicaid, including seniors, children and people with disabilities.
The impact on children is particularly significant. In Washington’s Fifth Congressional District, 54 of children under 19 receive Medicaid coverage. This number rises to 70% percent in Central Washington.
Senator Maria Cantwell warns that $880 billion in Medicaid funding over the next decade is at stake. Republicans have not specified how much they would cut from the program.
These cuts pose serious concerns to low-income families, disabled Americans and rural hospitals. If funding disappears, Americans could lose medical coverage or face facility closures.
“We’re really concerned,” said Lynn Kimball, excutive director of Aging and Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington. “We know as we see these different proposals for cuts, they undermine the safety net that’s there to support people.”
Kimball connects elderly and disabled Washingtonians to at-home long-term care options.
“It’s seniors who have had traumatic brain injuries, people with developmental disabilities; it’s a very large range of people who depend on that help,” said Kimball, who noted 64% of her her organization’s funding comes from Medicaid.
She is closely eyeing Congress’ next move, alongside millions of other Americans.
“With those level of cuts, it really would be in jeopardy,” Kimball said.
Republicans argue Medicaid is a broken system riddled with wasteful spending. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said, “We’re creating an environment in which we’re bankrupting the country when over a third of what we’re doing is healthcare spending.”
There are numbers supporting concerns about wasteful spending in Medicaid, though little evidence to support that it’s bankrupting America. Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy released a report finding Washington wastes $8.6 million per year on unnecessary premiums for people who live in other states.
McCarthy noted, “Some Oregon concurrent enrollees regularly visited providers in both states, making it challenging to tell which state should pay for their coverage.” The auditor acknowledged Medicaid needs better nationwide solutions.
However, cutting $880 billion over ten years without a backup plan would severely impact vulnerable Americans.
Though cuts wouldn’t happen overnight, Kimball recommended Medicaid patients make the most of their coverage while they still can.
“If you have coverage now, use the coverage while you have it because we really don’t know what’s going to happen if these cuts go into play.”
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
