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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — Those who depend on government assistance programs like SNAP and Medicaid are keeping a close eye on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
If the version approved by the United States House of Representatives passes the Senate, it would lead to $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid
On Tuesday, community health care coalitions, food banks and advocacy organizations gathered at a press conference to ask West Virginia Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jim Justice (R-WV) to vote no on the bill.
More than 500,000 West Virginians are currently enrolled in Medicaid, and large-scale cuts would limit the amount of assistance they’d be able to get in covering health care costs.
Mariah Plante, a Wyoming County resident, said that her brother suffers from major disabilities, and if the budget bill passes as is, she’s going to be forced to make difficult decisions.
“I’m here today because I’m a full-time caregiver for my older brother, who has lifelong disabilities. He’s autistic, he’s nonverbal and legally blind. He needs help with all tasks of daily life. The Medicaid cuts that are being proposed by our representatives directly impact my family in that we might not be able to afford to care for my brother at the standard that he’s accustomed to,” Plante said.
Ellen Allen, the executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, said it took years to fight for the Affordable Care Act, and she feels as if all of that hard work is being undone.
“We’re looking at the unwinding of just fantastic advancements in the Affordable Care Act that have hundreds of thousands of West Virginians have access to affordable health care. These are all really in jeopardy right now based on what’s happening in the House and Senate with the budget reconciliation bill,” Allen said.
Allen fears that large-scale cuts to Medicaid would lead to several rural hospitals being forced to decrease services or shut down altogether after a decrease in Medicaid revenue.
“There’s seven hospitals that will probably close fairly quickly because they’re on razor-thin margins. And when people in communities don’t have access to health care, then that means if they go to hospitals, hospitals will have uncompensated care. The hospitals cannot remain open without some form of payment,” Allen said.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill did a study into the impact the bill could have on rural hospitals. They found that these seven hospitals are at risk of closing down or scaling back their services if the bill passes as is:
- Logan Regional Medical Center
- Welch Community Hospital
- Broaddus Hospital Association
- Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center
- Grafton City Hospital
- Montgomery General Hospital
- Jackson General Hospital
Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) voted to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill in the House of Representatives in May. She said that she’s hoping for the best and that West Virginians who depend on Medicaid and SNAP benefits will still be able to get the help they need, but all fraudulent spending on the federal level must be eliminated.
“Of course, I am concerned that they will be covered the best way that they can, but there may be some waste, fraud and abuse that comes to roost, and we need to find out. We have nearly, I think it’s $37 trillion worth of debt right now, and we are just trying to get a grip on where we spend our money wisely, we are not going to throw granny off the cliff,” Miller said.
Congresswoman Miller went on to say that the bill will be very beneficial to West Virginians, especially small business owners.
“West Virginia has, I think, 99% small businesses, and it’s going to be wonderful for them. They have certainty. They have got certain things that are now in stone that we wonder every few years whether they’re going to come back or not. You know, no tax on tips, all the things the president promised have been delivered,” Miller said.
The One Big Beautiful Bill is now in the United States Senate’s hands to either approve or send back to the House of Representatives with revisions.
13 News has reached out to Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice to get their stance on the bill but has not heard back at this time.
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