ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT DEMONSTRATES TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR NATION’S CHILDREN

By Dr. Stephan Blanford

I am outraged by this morning’s passage of the Trump administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA). This bill includes devastating cuts to vital programs that many kids and families rely on, while simultaneously giving exorbitant tax breaks to the nation’s wealthiest individuals and corporations.  

The contents of OBBBA demonstrate a total disregard for the health and well-being of the American people. As a result of the included cuts, millions of individuals across the country will lose health care coverage, many children will go hungry when their families are denied access to food assistance, and hospitals — particularly in rural areas — will be forced to close. 

Washington state stands to be hit particularly hard, especially in terms of Medicaid cuts. Enrollment in our state is projected to decrease by 26% — the highest rate in the nation —over the next ten years, erasing decades of progress in terms of health insurance coverage in our state. The impact for kids’ health could be catastrophic, as almost half of the children in our state rely on Medicaid through Apple Health. 

Washingtonians not enrolled in Medicaid will also feel the negative impacts of cuts to the program. Health care access will decline across the state, but particularly in rural communities. Many hospitals will be left with insurmountable costs due to reductions in funding through Medicaid, leaving them unable to operate. This would be disastrous for those living in communities where access to care is already limited, and it will force patients to seek care further from home, potentially overwhelming health care facilities that are already at capacity. 

Children’s Alliance has long been on the frontlines of the fight for children’s health in Washington state. We won’t back down now. We will continue to monitor the impacts of this bill and will work with our state lawmakers to push back on legislation that harms our state’s kids and families.