March 04, 2025
A coalition of all 50 state and the District of Colombia medical associations, representing hundreds of thousands of physicians and their 80 million Medicaid patients, have joined together to demand that Congress protect Medicaid from the devastating $880 billion Energy and Commerce Committee spending reduction target in the House Budget Resolution.
CMA urges physicians and patients to join us in opposing these draconian cuts, and urging your members of Congress to do the same.
How did we get here? Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the House’s version of the budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 14) on a narrow vote of 217-215. The budget resolution calls for $2 trillion in cuts, $880 billion of which will come from the House Energy Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid. CMA strongly urged the California Congressional delegation to oppose these Medicaid cuts. Except for one Republican “no” vote, the vote fell along partisan lines.
What’s next? The Senate must adopt the House budget resolution or pass their own and reconcile it with the House version before the process can move forward. Three California Republicans—Representatives Calvert (R-Riverside), Kim (R-Orange/San Bernardino) and Valadao (R-Tulare, Kern) said that while they voted for the Budget Resolution, they would not vote for the final bill unless the Medicaid cuts are significantly reduced.
CMA will continue to aggressively lobby Congress to protect Medicaid. Click here to send a letter to your Representative today explaining how important this funding is to the health and well-being of millions of Californians – your patients.
A Direct Threat to Our Safety Net
For decades, Medicaid has been the safety net for our most vulnerable patients – children, pregnant women, seniors, the disabled, veterans and low-income working families. If these cuts are enacted, millions of Medicaid patients will lose their coverage and we expect all Medicaid patients to lose some of their existing benefits and access to essential health care services.
In California, Medi-Cal serves nearly 38% of the state’s population, including half of all children, and provides vital access to primary and preventive care. It reduces health care costs by keeping people out of emergency rooms and hospitals, and supports families by providing care at home for seniors and the disabled. Medi-Cal also sustains rural hospitals and health care jobs, which are particularly crucial in rural communities.
Medicaid Cuts Will Have a Cascading Negative Impact on the Entire Health Care System
The current proposals would slash Medicaid funding by reducing federal Medicaid matching funds, establishing per capita caps that end the guarantee of Medicaid, and eliminating the managed care organization and provider levies, disproportionately harming rural areas across America that are dependent on Medicaid. The proposed $880 billion in cuts would shift the financial burden to hospitals and physicians, and rural hospitals, physician practices, clinics and nursing homes will be forced to close, making it more difficult for patients to find the care they need when they need it.
“As physicians, our obligation is to care for those who need us – sick children, the disabled, seniors in nursing homes, veterans and those with chronic conditions, mental health and other special needs,” the coalition wrote in a joint letter. “As state medical associations that have advanced innovations, we are committed to working with you to find solutions to protect and improve Medicaid for generations to come. But we urge you to reject Medicaid funding cuts that threaten patient care, coverage, and the viability of our entire health care system.”
Click here to read the full letter.
Take Action Now!
We have made great strides in California to provide affordable health care coverage and improve access to physicians, dentists, community clinics, ambulance providers, efficient Medi-Cal managed care plans, and hospitals, including rural, critical access, and children’s hospitals. CMA urges you to join us in demanding that Congress reject Medicaid cuts that threaten the health and well-being of all Americans.
Click here to help stop the Medicaid cut.
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