Durbin Calls Out Republicans' Plan to Strip Health Care From Millions Of Americans In Largest Cut To Medicaid In American History
In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slams Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid and potentially kick 14 million Americans off their insurance, to pay for tax breaks for billionaires
WASHINGTON – Following the release of a non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report revealing that Republicans’ plan would kick nearly 14 million Americans off their health insurance, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) criticized Republicans’ dangerous proposal to fund tax breaks for billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding—making it the largest Medicaid cut in history. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized that Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of nursing homes residents, and the majority of patients with behavioral health needs, while being a lifeline for children’s and rural hospitals.
Durbin began his speech by sharing the concerns of hospital leaders in Illinois who traveled to Washington last week to plead with lawmakers to stop plans to cut Medicaid funding. During the meeting, one hospital leader reiterated that their hospital is the only one in a 60-mile radius that operates an obstetrics unit to deliver babies. Another hospital leader emphasized that if Republicans follow through on their promise to cut Medicaid, the hospital will have to close its doors.
“Last week, hospital leaders from every corner of my state of Illinois came to Washington… Each and every one of them… was concerned about plans by Republicans in Congress to change the funding for Medicaid,” Durbin began. “They are small, critical access hospitals in rural areas, safety net hospitals treating the poorest patients, and they are large teaching hospitals in downtown Chicago. They’re all focused on Medicaid. All of them told me that Medicaid cuts Republicans have put on the table would be devastating to their hospitals… devastating to the doctors and nurses that they employ, and especially hurtful to the patients and their families.”
“Why would Republicans in Congress even want to jeopardize health care and ring alarm bells in hospitals across America? They’re trying to save $880 billion. What is the critical need to save that? [It’s] to perpetuate the tax breaks of the Trump Administration for the wealthiest people in America. That’s right, President Trump and his billionaire buddy, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, have asked Republicans in Congress to provide a massive giveaway to the wealthiest Americans, and they want to use Medicaid cuts as the piggy bank,” Durbin said.
“Let’s be clear. This is not a health care reform plan to improve our health care system or lower costs for families and patients. Nope. Republicans are looking to dismantle the basic Medicaid program to help [pay for] tax cuts for billionaires,” Durbin continued.
Last week, the CBO report on Republicans’ proposed budget plan concluded that, if Republicans push the plan forward, 13.7 million Americans would lose health care coverage.
“For weeks, Republicans have been adamant that they are only focused on addressing ‘waste, fraud, and abuse,’ from Medicaid. If there’s inappropriate spending, fix it. But that’s not what’s happening here, and I think the Republican majority knows it,” Durbin said. “The Congressional Budget Office called their bluff and confirmed. These Medicaid cuts proposed by the Republicans are not about waste or efficiency. They are about restricting access to coverage for patients.”
“Under Republicans’ watch, CBO stated that 13.7 million Americans will have their health insurance coverage terminated… What is the acceptable number of constituents losing health coverage for Republicans?” Durbin continued. “How many rural hospitals closing in their states are Republicans willing to accept to help perpetuate tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans?”
Already, more than 300 rural hospitals are at immediate closure risk, including 26 in Kansas, 22 in Alabama, 21 in Texas, and nine in Missouri.
“Let me tell you that as a person from downstate Illinois, rural hospitals are the backbone of the community. Not only are they critical places for emergency medical care, they are also the anchors of the local economy,” Durbin said.
Republicans are also attempting to push more Americans by off their health insurance by tacking on burdensome red tape requirements to Medicaid eligibility. Continuing his remarks, Durbin dissected Republicans’ argument for adding these paperwork requirements, reminding his colleagues that instituting these cumbersome policies does not yield an increase in employment.
“Pitched by Republicans as just simply ‘work requirements,’ this policy withholds health care for eligible patients until they meet overly complex paperwork requirements. It’s a failing strategy. In the states that have tried these so-called ‘work requirements,’ there has been no increase in employment. The only impact has been patients who are actually eligible getting kicked off Medicaid because they were drowning in paperwork,” Durbin said.
“One analysis determined that approximately three million manufacturing, agricultural, and service sector workers could become uninsured under the… [Republican] plan. Who thinks that is a good idea?” Durbin said.
Durbin concluded his floor speech by calling on his Republican colleagues to understand the catastrophic effects of slashing Medicaid funding, jeopardizing the health of their constituents to further enrich billionaires.
“It’s not too late for a few Republicans… to stand up and say ‘we don’t want to be part of this,’” Durbin said.
“Remember that image of Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, laughing gleefully as he danced around a stage with a chainsaw in his hand? The richest man in the world was laughing out loud about his chainsaw cuts to Medicaid. Well these cuts are no laughing matter for that rural hospital worrying about having to close,” Durbin continued.
“Wipe that smile off your face, Mr. Musk. We are talking about life and death health care for America’s working families,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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