FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 3, 2025
CONTACT: Adam Fox, afox@cohealthinitiative.org, (303) 563-9108Jenny Davies, jenny@progressive-promotions.com, (720) 296-9545
Congress gives final okay to budget reconciliation bill that will terminate coverage for millions and send healthcare system into chaos and devastation
DENVER – On the eve of the 4th of July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the rushed “big ugly” reconciliation budget bill that will slash over $930 billion from Medicaid and make painful cuts to the Affordable Care Act, terminating coverage for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans, all to help subsidize tax breaks for the wealthiest and big corporations. Seventy percent of the bill’s tax benefits will go to the top 5% while costs will go up for the bottom 40% of Americans, and the Congressional Budget Office projects it will add nearly 4 trillion to the deficit.
“Shame on House Republicans who voted for massive cuts to healthcare to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich and big corporations – especially Rep. Jeff Hurd, who signed a letter saying he couldn’t support the Senate version due to the horrifying Medicaid cut impacts,” said Adam Fox, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative deputy director. “Clinics and hospitals will be forced to reduce services or close completely, hitting rural communities the hardest. Colorado’s House Republicans could have stopped this bill to protect Coloradans and our communities, and they chose to ignore their constituents. This is a broken promise by President Trump and Congressional Republicans, who said they would not cut Medicaid. It will be on their hands as hundreds of thousands of Coloradans have their health coverage terminated and those fighting cancer, older adults in nursing homes, people living with disabilities, veterans, children, low and moderate-income families, and small businesses/entrepreneurs – will get sicker and some will ultimately be killed by this bill. Make no mistake, Republicans now own America’s broken healthcare system and the suffering it will inflict for years to come.”
All four Republican Representatives – Gabe Evans, Jeff Crank and Lauren Boebert, in addition to Hurd – betrayed their constituents who rely on Medicaid for their healthcare. Evans and Hurd represent districts with the highest percentage of residents covered by Medicaid (24 and 29% respectively); in 60 of 64 counties, over 30% of children are covered through Medicaid/CHP+, and in 14 counties, it is more than 40%. Medicaid covers 61% of Coloradans in nursing homes and is a lifeline for many older residents who depend on in-home or long-term care.
“There’s nothing beautiful about this bill,” said Lydia McCoy, CEO of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. “Medicaid recipients will lose access to the health care that keeps them alive, and hospitals across rural Colorado will close their doors for lack of funding. The cruelty of this legislation is exceeded only by its short-sightedness.”
Concerns around cuts to Medicaid and the ACA detailed in this budget proposal have been heard from across the spectrum of party, age, socio-economic background and gender” said Jake Williams, CEO of Healthier Colorado. “Our recent poll found that voting to cut Medicaid was deeply unpopular among Colorado voters, with 65% of statewide voters, and 63% of CD-08 voters saying they were less likely to vote for a candidate who voted to cut Medicaid funding. As Colorado’s Congressional delegation considers the current version of the federal reconciliation proposal, we urge them to consider the strong bipartisan support of Medicaid among voters, and use their vote to protect the health and wellbeing of their constituents.”
This bill not only adds administrative red tape for the more than 1.1 million Coloradans covered through Medicaid, it ties the hands of the states’ ability to raise funds for Medicaid while stripping over $930 billion from the most efficient coverage program in the country.
“Representatives like Gabe Evans and Jeff Hurd will ultimately answer to the people of their districts and they’ll have to explain why they chose to give massive breaks to wealthy corporations while making it harder for working families. I live in Rep. Evan’s district and Medicaid cuts will hurt my community and my neighbors. Over a third of people in America can’t pay for an unexpected expense over $400. This bill unjustly punishes them and does not help them get ahead,” said Robert Lindgren, Political and Organizing Director, Colorado AFL-CIO
“At PPRM, we see every day how Medicaid is a lifeline for working families, young people, and rural communities across the state,” said Jack Teter, Vice President of Government Affairs of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. “64% of Planned Parenthood health centers nationwide are located in medically underserved areas, rural areas, or areas with health professional shortages, and more than half of Planned Parenthood patients are enrolled in Medicaid. One in three women in the US has been to a Planned Parenthood. During a time when many Coloradans are still struggling to recover economically from the pandemic—and as the cost of groceries, housing, and other basic needs continues to rise—eliminating access to health care isn’t just misguided policy. It’s downright cruel. We are working with state agencies and the legislature to explore every avenue to prevent disruptions to patient care as this administration plunders the safety net to fund tax breaks for Elon Musk and Donald Trump.“
Medicaid is the only health care program that provides long-term care, services, and supports—helping older Coloradans and those with disabilities live and thrive in their communities. The magnitude of cuts in both the versions passed by the House and Senate will lead to deep cuts at the state level for all Medicaid enrollees.
“The damage to rural Colorado, already pinched for resources, will unfold over the next few years like a slow-motion train wreck,” said Chris deGruy Kennedy, President and CEO of the Bell Policy Center. “The damn shame of it all is that it didn’t have to be. Billionaires don’t need another tax break the way a single mother from La Junta needs Medicaid. This package of cuts and tax breaks will cement the largest transfer of wealth from rural Colorado to metro Denver that we have seen in our lifetime. Truly shameful.”
“More than 575,000 Colorado children get health coverage through Medicaid. We can be proud of our efforts to make sure children can get important medical care when they need it. This budget bill will be bad for kids’ health, bad for the financial stability of families and communities, and bad for the quality and efficiency of our government,” said Toni Sarge, Director of Health Policy at the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “Medicaid is an essential part of our healthcare system. Cuts at this scale will result in children losing access to essential medical care – and to real, negative changes in Colorado’s ability to provide a wide range of essential services and supports for all of our state’s children, now and in the future.”
Many additional Coloradans will lose coverage because of provisions that will increase out-of-pocket premiums through the Affordable Care Act, and those that stay enrolled will see higher out-of-pocket costs if they seek care. This will cut deeply into record enrollment in recent years through Connect for Health Colorado, stripping another more than 100,000 Coloradans of the health coverage they need. This will add to the devastation of Colorado’s healthcare system, hospitals, and providers as they struggle to keep their doors open and provide the care Coloradans need.
Protect Our Care Colorado is a coalition of over 50 organizations in Colorado advocating to protect the health care of Coloradans. To learn more about the coalition, visit ProtectOurCareCo.org