In Kennewick, Murray Sounds Alarms on Republican Cuts to Health Care, Pushing Rural Health Care to Brink

***PHOTOS AND B-ROLL HERE***

Kennewick, WA - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a roundtable discussion with health care professionals at Columbia Valley Center for Recovery to discuss the new challenges health care providers are facing nearly a year after Republicans passed the largest health care cut in history in their Big Ugly Bill. Senator Murray heard from participants about how these cuts along with the expired ACA tax credits have affected access to care across the region.

Murray was joined by Jodi Daly, President/CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare; Dr. Veronica Hooper, CMO of Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic; Ana Rodriguez, Caregiver, SEIU 775 Member; Nachya George, Behavioral Health Services Program Director, Yakama Nation; and Rick Evans, Director of Public Affairs, Tri-Cities Community Health.

The Republican reconciliation bill, which was signed into law in July 2025, cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the ACA over the next 10 years and will make health care more expensive and harder to access. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Republicans' health care cuts will terminate health insurance for roughly 15 million Americans nationwide

"With their Big Ugly Bill, Republicans passed the single largest health care cut in our nation's history- leaving providers in the Tri-Cities to wonder how they will keep their staff on and their doors open," said Senator Murray. "If that weren't damaging enough, Republicans refused to extend the health care tax credits-which millions of people relied on to afford health coverage. The fallout from that has been devastating. Families saw their premiums double, triple, or even worse. I hear from so many families in Washington state struggling with this. In our state over 36,000 people canceled their insurance, and we know many more shifted down to a worse plan-often still at a higher cost. Congress needs to repeal Trump's cuts to health care-getting there won't be easy, but we have to make sure people understand the harm these cuts are doing, especially to rural health care. "

"During Mental Health Awareness Month, we're reminded that mental health care is essential to strong communities. The expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits and proposals like HR 1 risk increasing the number of uninsured and placing added strain on community-based providers. If we are serious about achieving mental health parity, we must ensure stable coverage and sustainable support for these providers-because when provider organizations are strong, the people and communities served are healthier and more vibrant," said Jodi Daly, PhD, President/CEO of ComprehensiveHealthcare.

"By serving patients early and close to home, federally qualified health centers, like YVFWC, help programs like Medicaid stretch limited dollars while improving health outcomes and access to health services-but patients need continued coverage and we need continued support from our policymakers to make this happen," said Dr. Veronica Hooper, Chief Medical Officer of Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic.

"Care is essential to survive and live with dignity. When I look at the cuts to care in HR 1, I know that for every person who loses care, at least two people are affected - the person needing the care, and their caregiver. But usually, it's more than two. It's the client's family, their friends, the caregiver's family. And in all my years of caregiving, I've not once been able to look at a client and say they could lose care in hours and be ok," said Ana Rodriguez, a caregiver and member of SEIU 775. "HR 1's cuts to care will strip people of their independence and many people will die without care. Because when you can't do essential things to care for yourself, and you don't have someone to care for you, what are you supposed to do? I've heard from other caregivers and their clients - they're worried about what happens to them as the cruel Medicaid cuts made in HR 1 become a reality. So many of us love doing this work, and we've made many sacrifices to be able to do this job. But there is still so much uncertainty and fear for our clients and our own livelihood."

"It was invaluable to have the Senator come to the Tri-Cities to visit with us today. Those who need access to a doctor, or to have affordable medicine, should have that opportunity. Tri-Cities Community Health, and Community Health Centers throughout Washington, are designed to support this idea, which is one the Senator has worked to champion in the Senate. Today's discussion was important and Tri-Cities Community Health is grateful for the opportunity and all of the Senator's work," said Rick Evans, Director of Public Affairs, Tri-Cities Community Health.

ABOUT TRUMP'S MEDICAID CUTS:

Nationwide, the Republican health care cuts represent a more than $400 billion hit to America's hospitals-with one estimate finding that over 170 rural hospitals will likely be forced to close or scale back their services, which will force more Americans to travel further for maternity care and emergency rooms, and face longer wait times. Washington state is one of the states most at-risk, with 22 hospitals at-risk of closing or reducing services. An estimated 477,000 health workers will lose their jobs as a result of the Republican cuts to Medicaid. Senator Murray has consistently advocated for rural health care across the state, hosting numerous events to emphasize the importance of investment into rural communities.

Hospitals in Washington state could lose at least $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year under OBBBA-forcing hospitals to lay off staff, cut services, or close their doors entirely. Overall, Washington state is expected to lose between $31 billion and $51 billion in federal Medicaid dollars over the next decade. In 2024, Washington had an uninsured rate of 4.8 percent-the lowest in the country-but the Republican bill is expected to balloon that number into the double digits.

ABOUT GOP REFUSAL TO EXTEND ACA TAX CREDITS:

In Washington state, nearly 2 million people-roughly 1 in 5-are enrolled in Apple Health, the state's Medicaid program. Washington's 4^th Congressional District has the highest Medicaid enrollment in Washington state, with nearly 300,000 people-38 percent of all residents-reliant on Apple Health, including 70 percent of all children in the state. Over 36,000 fewer Washingtonians enrolled in health insurance through the state's health care exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder. Over 51,000 fewer Washingtonians are using federal tax credits to get their health care coverage.

Senator Murray forced the issue of the ACA tax credits at every opportunity before Republicans ultimately refused to take any action, speaking out nonstop about the urgent need to save health care and calling on Republicans to come to the negotiating table to work out a bipartisan deal to extend the ACA tax credits. She took to the Senate floor in November with her Democratic colleagues to call for a clean one-year extension of the ACA tax credits, and held numerous virtual press conferences with Washingtonians, as well as residents of neighboring states Idaho and Montana, about the exploding health care premiums that Americans are seeing due to the expiration of the tax credits. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray led legislation supported by the Democratic caucus that would have addressed the health care crisis during the government shutdown last fall. Senator Murray has also cosponsored multiple pieces of legislation over the past year-the Health Care Affordability Act and the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act-that would make the ACA tax credits permanent.

Senator Murray played a critical role in passing the ACA enhanced premium tax credits into law in the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 and extending them in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.

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