WASHINGTON—The Federation of American Hospitals’ President and CEO, Chip Kahn, released the following statement on the bill text released last night from the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill includes $715 billion in Medicaid cuts, which would result in over eight million Americans losing their health coverage.  

“Over 70 million Americans depend on Medicaid for care from the doctor’s office to the hospital to the nursing home, and critical providers in between. The drastic cuts in this bill slash health coverage for millions of these hardworking families, children, and seniors. The ill-conceived policies target states and tie their hands, leaving them unable to pick up the slack and effectively cutting patients’ Medicaid coverage based on their zip codes. The consequences of these cuts extend far beyond the millions of Medicaid patients impacted directly; they threaten health access for entire communities across the country. 

“Congressional Republicans and President Trump rightly pledged to protect Medicaid benefits and coverage – this bill fails that test. It is imperative Republicans go back to the drawing board; too many lives depend on it.”

###