Durbin Hosts Call With Rural Illinois Hospitals On Harms From Republicans' Proposed Cuts To Medicaid
Republicans have called for $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid, jeopardizing health care for 3.4 million Illinoisans, including 1.5 million children
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today convened a call with the leadership of nine rural hospitals based in central and southern Illinois to discuss the impact of the potential $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid proposed by congressional Republicans in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires. During the call, the rural hospital leaders underscored that critical role that Medicaid plays in providing coverage for their patients and sustaining hospital budgets. Without Medicaid, these rural hospitals reported projected harms in maintaining access to quality services and recruiting and retaining doctors, nurses, and other health workers. Millions of Illinois children, pregnant women, and seniors in nursing facilities would lose their Medicaid health care coverage or benefits.
“Closing mental health services. Forcing pregnant women to drive more than an hour to deliver a baby. Hospitals closing. These are the real harms that could come from the Medicaid cuts that Congressional Republicans have put on the table, in order to give billionaires a tax break,” Durbin said. “Today, I spoke with rural hospital leaders from Illinois about protecting 3.4 million Illinoisans from senseless Medicaid cuts and ensuring that these hospitals can continue to deliver life-saving care to their patients.”
“If federal Medicaid payment reductions are enacted they will further widen the already significant gap in state Medicaid funding, especially for safety net providers like St. Mary’s. These reductions may result in a reduction in services, drive increased healthcare consolidation and ultimately create greater barriers to access – especially for the most vulnerable populations. Healthcare systems, such as SSM Health, provide essential services across large rural regions in Illinois. These critical, often life-saving services include, but are not limited to, cardiac catheterization, emergency heart procedures, general surgery, obstetrics, acute care situations, much needed mental health services and a wide range of specialized treatments that many patients would otherwise struggle to access, forcing those patients to travel long distances or go completely without the care they need,” said Damon Harbison, President of SSM Health – Illinois. “Our hospitals are proud to be pillars of the communities in which we serve, not only providing lifesaving care, but as economic anchors standing among the largest employers in the region. We operate hospitals, clinics and surgery centers who also create jobs and strengthen local economies. Medicaid payment reductions don’t just harm those who rely on it most – these cuts weaken entire communities, they jeopardize healthcare access, economic growth and the well-being of countless families.”
“As we face the possibility of drastic cuts to Medicaid, Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) appreciates Senator Durbin’s leadership to oppose changes that could reduce or eliminate coverage for Illinois families. And decreases in Medicaid funding will disproportionately affect rural communities in the form of increases in uncompensated care and funding shortfalls. HSHS believes that health care is a basic human right, essential to human dignity and we urge Congress to maintain federal funding commitments for the Medicaid program and prevent structural changes that would reduce coverage for those in need,” said Chad Markham, Interim President and CEO of Hospital Sisters Health System, Central Illinois Market.
“OSF HealthCare appreciates the opportunity to highlight, through Senator Durbin’s office, the impact any significant cuts to Medicaid funding could have on those we have been called to serve. Many of our hospitals and clinics provide care to rural communities across Illinois. We are closely following the discussion around Medicaid funding, which could greatly impact our most vulnerable patients,” said Bob Sehring, CEO of OSF HealthCare.
“As a critical access hospital, Jacksonville Memorial Hospital serves a primarily rural patient population, and many of those patients rely on Medicaid for their health coverage needs,” said Trevor Huffman, President and CEO of Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.
Congressional Republicans have proposed deep cuts to Medicaid to fund their budget reconciliation bill, with the House Republican budget resolution calling for $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. Cuts of this magnitude would fundamentally alter the Medicaid program, likely reducing coverage or slashing benefits for millions of working families across the United States. In Illinois, Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of nursing home residents, the majority of patients with behavioral health needs, and is a lifeline for children’s and rural hospitals. Further, if the federal match for the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion is eliminated as called for in some Republican proposals, almost 800,000 Illinoisans would lose health care coverage.
Attending the meeting were representatives from:
- HSHS St. Francis Hospital (Litchfield)
- HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital (Shelbyville)
- OSF St. Clare Medical Center (Princeton)
- OSF St. Katharine Hospital (Dixon)
- Carle Health Pekin (Pekin)
- Carle Eureka Hospital (Eureka)
- SSM St. Mary’s Hospital (Centralia)
- SIH Harrisburg Medical Center (Harrisburg)
- Jacksonville Memorial (Jacksonville)
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