CLARKSTON, WA – According to a U.S. Senator from Washington state, 306,312 Washingtonians will lose the health care coverage they need to get regular check-ups, behavioral health care, family planning services, long-term care, urgent care, and more if a bill being pushed by President Donald Trump passes the U.S. Senate and is signed into law.
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell is pointing to data released by the Joint Economic Committee minority staff that claims 16 million Americans – including 306,312 Washingtonians – will lose the health care coverage they need to get regular check-ups, behavioral health care, family planning services, long-term care, urgent care, and more.
Cantwell says Washington’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, covering Eastern Washington, would see more than 76,000 people that won’t be able to get affordable health care if the Republican plan passes.
| Congressional District | Est. # of People Losing Affordable Care Act Coverage | Est. # of People Losing Medicaid Coverage | Est. Total # of People Losing Health Coverage |
| WA-01 | 11,500 | 11,638 | 23,138 |
| WA-02 | 13,500 | 20,155 | 33,655 |
| WA-03 | 10,000 | 21,654 | 31,654 |
| WA-04 | 8,400 | 31,693 | 40,093 |
| WA-05 | 11,500 | 24,934 | 36,434 |
| WA-06 | 10,000 | 20,288 | 30,288 |
| WA-07 | 13,500 | 10,458 | 23,958 |
| WA-08 | 10,000 | 13,572 | 23,572 |
| WA-09 | 11,500 | 22,069 | 33,569 |
| WA-10 | 8,400 | 21,589 | 29,989 |
Medicaid, known as Apple Health in Washington state, covers over 1.9 million Washingtonians. Cantwell has held events across the state about the impact of the proposed cuts on Washingtonians and released three reports detailing the cuts’ significant negative impacts.
Highlights of Cantwell’s claims include:
- In Washington state, WA-04 (Central Washington) and WA-05 (Eastern Washington) have the highest proportions of adults and total population on Medicaid (Apple Health). In District 4, 70% of children are on Medicaid.
- In the Puget Sound region, children in Seattle’s blue-collar strongholds would feel the deepest pain from Medicaid cuts. More than half of children in Burien, SeaTac, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, and Rainier Valley depend on Medicaid.
- In an exclusive survey of 68 WA nursing homes, 67 of 68 would cut services if Medicaid were cut by 5% or more, and 65% would consider closing.