In the early hours of July 1, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed a massive spending and tax bill that could drastically cut funding for Medicaid and other vital federal programs that millions of Americans rely on for health care, food, housing, and economic stability.
Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have said they will work quickly to bring the bill for a vote, hoping to pass it before the July 4th holiday.
What the bill does
The Senate bill proposes even deeper cuts than the House version, including almost $1 trillion in slashed from Medicaid alone—gutting vital support for millions of everyday Americans—primarily to fund special interests and $4.5 trillion in tax breaks that overwhelmingly benefit the ultra-wealthy. These cuts would disproportionately harm children, low-income families, and communities already facing systemic barriers, including people of color, people with disabilities, and those in rural areas.
The bill also includes deep cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), affordable housing, disability services and long-term care, and our public health infrastructure.
Impact to Washington
Medicaid is the largest source of federal funding in our state budget. We spend $21 billion each year on Medicaid, $13 billion of which is paid for by federal funds. Cuts to this funding would be disastrous.
- 1 in 5 Washingtonians (nearly 2 million total) rely on Medicaid through Apple Health. This includes nearly 850,000 children. That’s nearly 1 in 2 Washington children—half of all kids in the state.
- Governor Ferguson has warned that Washington could see $2 billion in federal Medicaid cuts over four years as a result of this bill, which could strip coverage from 200,000 people by 2026 alone. With a $700 million state budget shortfall, the cost of care would shift to an already strained system.
- Families would face impossible choices—delaying care, missing vaccines, and worsening chronic conditions. Pediatric specialists could shut down, increasing wait times and forcing families to travel farther for basic services.
- In rural Washington, where Medicaid makes up to 58% of clinic revenue, cuts could mean layoffs, closures, and lost care for 61,000 residents. Over 70% of rural health centers are at risk.
- Fewer insured patients means overloaded ERs and ambulance systems, longer waits, and worse outcomes.
- The economic ripple is just as severe: 16,600 jobs lost and more than $470 million in lost revenue, hitting not just healthcare—but the entire state economy.
Here’s the bottom line: Cuts to Medicaid in Washington would shake the foundations of the health care system, impacting coverage for children, seniors, rural communities, and working families, while also destabilizing providers and the state budget.
What You Can Do:
Call or email your member of Congress and tell them to vote NO on this or any other legislation that would lead to cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other critical services.
