Hobbs: Senate budget bill would slash health care for hundreds of thousands of Arizonans

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs says the federal budget bill that passed in the Senate on Tuesday will “devastate” health care for Arizonans if it becomes law.

Republicans in the Senate passed President Trump’s tax bill this week on party lines, which would drastically cut Medicaid. Three Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill, but Vice President J.D. Vance threw his weight behind the bill and it passed on his tiebreaking vote, 51-50.

The House still has to take up the legislation.

Hobbs said the bill would cause hundreds of thousands of Arizonans to lose their health care and Arizona simply doesn’t have the capacity to mitigate the cuts.

“Tell me what you want us to do. It's billions of dollars that we don't have, and even if we — even if we cut every single thing in the state, we don't have the money to backfill all of these cuts,” she said.

Hobbs added that the Medicaid cuts would also affect other Arizonans’ access to health care because hospitals and health care centers would be forced to close.

She urged the House to strike the bill down.

“Hopefully our members of Congress will do the right thing and stop this from going into law because it will devastate not just Arizona but many other states,” Hobbs said.

When asked whether the state’s “rainy day fund” — which is a reserve of about $1.6 billion, according to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee — could be used to mitigate Medicaid cuts, Hobbs said it would amount to nothing more than a Band-Aid.

Hobbs isn’t the only Arizona Democrat ringing the alarm bell.

“The Senate just voted to rip health care away from millions of people across the country, raise costs across the board, and put rural hospitals at risk of closing — hurting rural Arizonans the most. All to pay for Donald Trump’s massive tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes posted on X.

“Congrats to Senate Republicans on passing their disastrous budget. They just voted to rip Medicaid and food assistance from millions so billionaires can get another yacht. Hell of a legacy,” Sen. Ruben Gallego wrote.

“I hoped more of my Republican colleagues would have the guts to stand up to Donald Trump and now they’ll have to explain it to the people they represent. This bill isn’t law yet. It still has to pass the House. So, if you’re an American who’s tired of watching Washington work for the wealthy instead of you — pick up the phone. Call your representative,” Sen. Mark Kelly posted.