Press Release: 5/28/2025

Governor Healey, Senator Warren, Senator Markey Fight Back Against Trump, Congressional Republicans’ Medicaid Cuts

 

Reconciliation bill will cost Massachusetts health care system $1.75 billion, take away health care for 250,000 people, raise costs for everyone 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

5/27/2025

MEDIA CONTACT

Karissa Hand, Press Secretary

 Phone

Call Karissa Hand, Press Secretary at 617-725-4025

REVERE — Today, Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey joined together to fight back against Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ devastating bill to cut $1.75 billion from the Massachusetts health care system. The reconciliation bill, passed by the U.S. House on Thursday, would take away coverage from 250,000 Massachusetts families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. 

The Governor and Senators were joined by health care leaders at the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Revere Care Center. The CHA Revere Care Center is one of 15 community health centers within the CHA public, safety net hospital and health center system. With greater than 50 percent Medicaid and 71 percent public payers, CHA provides 800,000 outpatient visits annually, including over 38,000 in Revere to promote the health of the community.

“This isn’t a scalpel to trim waste – this is a massive ax to our entire health care system,” said Governor Healey. “What Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are trying to do will mean seniors, pregnant women, and people with disabilities and mental illnesses are unable to get care. Nursing homes, community health centers and hospitals will be faced with firing doctors and nurses or closing their doors. Costs will go up for everyone. We cannot let this happen – we are fighting back.”

“Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress want to raise costs and rip away health care and food assistance from millions of people — all to pay for giant tax handouts for billionaires,” said Senator Warren. “No one in America should go without health care so that Elon Musk can take a rocket ship ride to Mars. We’re fighting back to protect health care for families in Massachusetts and across the country.”

“Instead of fighting for guaranteed health care for all, Republicans in Congress are trying to gut Medicaid and rip health care away from millions of children and seniors in Massachusetts, and across the country – all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires,” said Senator Markey. “But the fight to save Medicaid is far from over. We cannot agonize – we must organize to reject this big billionaire bonus and fight for a health care system that works for all Americans.”

“MassHealth and the Health Connector offer low to no cost health care to residents across the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “This proposal from Congressional Republicans will undermine all of the work we’ve done to keep people healthy and keep costs low. States do not have the resources to make up for this dramatic cut in federal funding, and everyone is going to feel the negative impacts.”

The reconciliation bill passed by House Republicans on Thursday would cut $1.75 billion dollars in federal funding from MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, and the Massachusetts Health Connector Marketplace. This would result in more than 250,000 Massachusetts residents losing health care coverage under those programs and increased costs for everyone.

These cuts will have an impact well beyond those covered under MassHealth and the Connector. Nursing homes, community health centers and hospitals will be faced with cutting services or closing their doors. The jobs of the doctors, nurses and health care professionals in those facilities will be put at risk. Health care costs for everyone will increase as more uninsured people seek care in emergency rooms, further straining providers and limiting access to services for all.

“Pay now and Pay More Later, and reduced access to healthcare, healthy foods, and preventive care will cost us all in the long run,” said Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe.

“I stand with the families, seniors, and workers in my district who depend on Medicaid to survive.” said Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator for the Third Suffolk District. “These cuts would threaten access to care, force community clinics and hospitals to reduce services or shut down, and leave thousands without coverage across the Commonwealth.  This isn’t just a budget cut—it’s a direct attack on working families and basic health care access.”

“This is a cruel and dangerous attack on the health and dignity of our most vulnerable,” said Representative Jessica Giannino (D-Revere). “Slashing $1.75 billion from our health care system will mean real harm for families in Revere, Saugus and across Massachusetts. It impacts seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities who rely on MassHealth to live with dignity and security. I stand with Governor Healey, our federal delegation, and those fighting to protect the care our communities need and deserve.”

"The elimination of waste, fraud and abuse are laudable efforts. Stripping women and children of access to healthcare is immoral,” said State Representative Jeffrey Rosario Turco (D. Winthrop). “The House Republican budget hides behind the former to accomplish the latter. Our Commonwealth is the national leader in providing health care to our residents, I commend Gov. Healey for her boldness and her voice to defend both our success but more importantly, the voices of those who would otherwise be voiceless.”

“MassHealth supports nearly half of the children in our state, nearly three quarters of people in nursing homes, and more than half of people with disabilities,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. “Any cuts to Medicaid or federal changes that diminish our Health Connector marketplace are going to have severe impacts on people’s ability to access health care. As people delay or defer care, not only with individuals and families suffer with worse health outcomes, but it will increase costs in the long term and put more strain on emergency rooms and on the excellent health care providers we are so fortunate to have in Massachusetts.”

“Congress’s proposed cuts to Medicaid will push hundreds of thousands of people off health care coverage here in Massachusetts,” said Assistant Secretary for MassHealth Mike Levine. “As hospitals and community health centers strain to provide care for more uninsured, you can expect higher premiums for businesses and workers, and less access to services for all.”

"The Massachusetts residents we cover tell us consistently that we have been their lifeline, allowing them to access health care and create the financial security they need to manage chronic conditions, and afford groceries, childcare, and car payments,” said Audrey Morse Gasteier, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Connector. “The reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would mean more than 85,000 of the residents we cover today would lose their Health Connector coverage, no longer being able to find a plan that covers the health care they need at a monthly cost within their budget.”

"Medicaid is absolutely critical to Cambridge Health Alliance's mission to care for all and supports lifesaving health care for greater than 50% of our patients, including low-income and vulnerable people," said Dr. Assaad Sayah, CEO of Cambridge Health Alliance. "Alongside our delegation, we stand together in urging Congress to reject these harmful Medicaid cuts that imperil the health of our patients and the health care system for everyone."