Durbin Hears From CEO Of SSM Health Health About Impacts Of Medicaid Cuts In Republicans' Reconciliation Package

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone with the CEO of SSM Health, Laura Kaiser, to discuss the impact that President Trump’s and congressional Republicans’One Big Beautiful Bill Actwill have on Medicaid, their hospitals, and the patients they serve. In short, the Republican bill will slash Medicaid coverage in order to pay for significant tax breaks for billionaires. In addition to serving the people of Illinois, SSM Health also has hospitals in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma.
TheOne Big Beautiful Bill Actcuts $800 billion from Medicaid and $300 billion from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), resulting in 16 million Americans losing health insurance coverage. Under the Republican bill, 498,674 people in Illinois, 250,397people in Missouri, 199,430 people in Oklahoma, and 258,396 people in Wisconsin are projected to lose theirhealth insurance coverage.
“President Trump and congressional Republicans are coming for your health care to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It’s as cruel as that,”said Durbin.“It doesn’t matter if you live in a red or blue state—16 million Americans will lose health coverage—and hospitals will suffer as I discussed with SSM Health. These hospitals don’t just represent Illinoisans—they also serve the people of Missouri, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma. During our call, we discussed the horrible impacts this bill will have on their patients, especially children and in rural areas. I hope the Missouri and Oklahoma Senators as well as the senior Senator of Wisconsin will do the right thing for these hospitals and the people they represent and reject this cruel bill.”
Under theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act:
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