What Medicaid cuts passed by U.S. House could mean for WA

Washington state leaders warn that a Republican-backed budget bill passed by the U. S. House could lead to the loss of Medicaid coverage for 194,000 residents and a $2 billion reduction in federal funding over the next four years. Governor Bob Ferguson stated that this would threaten the survival of nursing homes and hospitals, asserting that closures are inevitable without intervention. About two dozen Republican lawmakers from Washington urged their congressional delegation to safeguard the state's Medicaid program, Apple Health, emphasizing the potential for economic fallout in rural communities.

The bill proposes spending cuts to Medicaid, estimated at $600 billion to $700 billion over ten years, to finance tax cuts and other initiatives. Only nine states could see more significant Medicaid losses than Washington. The legislation passed the House with narrow Republican support and includes a controversial requirement for certain Medicaid recipients to prove employment status. Ferguson did not indicate whether these cuts would trigger a special legislative session, as many provisions would not take effect immediately. The stakes are high for local healthcare resources, with implications for both urban and rural communities across the state.