Sen. Ruben Gallego joins health care experts to push back on potential Medicaid cuts

U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego met with health care leaders in Phoenix Saturday to address massive budget cuts pushed by Republicans that could threaten Medicaid.

A budget resolution passed by House Republicans would force the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to cut at least $880 billion over the next decade. That would require deep cuts to either Medicaid or Medicare. But Medicare cuts may not be politically viable, leaving Medicaid highly vulnerable.

“This is on the chopping blocks. And if Medicaid is cut, hospitals will close, people will lose coverage at the end of the day, not just the Medicaid population because we saw this when we expanded Medicaid, but everyone gets affected up and up and down the line,” Gallego said.

Jessica Yanow is CEO of the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers.

“What I took away today was that cuts to Medicaid, not just for health centers that we represent, but for all of the health care system would have a significant impact, not just on our ability to operate, but on the ability of people in Arizona to receive care,” she said.

Gallego said rural Arizonans would bear the brunt of the impact.

He criticized President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, saying they want to make cuts to benefit their friends and fellow billionaires.

Gallego says he and others will hold town halls throughout the state in an effort to save Medicaid.