01.21.2025 / Press Release

On the First Full Day of President Trump’s Second Term, More Than 425 Organizations Urge Him to Protect Medicaid Coverage

Washington, D.C. –Today, Families USA and more than 425 national, state and local organizations across the United States are calling on President Trump, on the first full day of his second term, to protect, preserve and strengthen Medicaid. This follows a very similar letter to Congress earlier this month. Medicaid covers 80 million Americans — including people in rural communities, children, vulnerable seniors, people with disabilities and low-income working families and veterans. While President Trump has said, including during an NBC interview last month, that he would not cut entitlements, referring to Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security, Families USA is sending this letter directly to President Trump in response to some House and Senate Republicans proposing to gut Medicaid coverage in order to pay for extending tax cuts for big corporations and billionaires.

After an election where Americans sent a clear message to lower costs — for groceries, rent and health care – the letter argues that Medicaid is essential to safeguarding the financial stability and well-being of millions of Americans, stabilizes the economy, keeps rural hospitals open, and reduces the financial burden on states and the health system.

“Cutting Medicaid would shift costs and administrative burdens onto working class families, states and health systems. Proposals to cap funding, reduce the federal share of Medicaid spending, establish block grants, institute work requirements — now being referred to as community engagement requirements, cut state revenue from provider taxes or otherwise undermine the fundamental structure of the Medicaid program all have the same effect,” the organizations stated in the letter.

They continued, “If instituted, Americans will lose access to lifesaving services, states will be strapped with massive budget holes, hospitals and clinics will lose revenues and be forced to cut staff and scale back services, and American families and workers will be unable to afford essential care and get sicker — leading to a loss in productivity and the economy suffering as a result.”

More than 70% of voters support people getting health insurance through Medicaid, recognizing the many ways it benefits people, health care providers and our communities. Medicaid is also a significant funding source for hospitals and clinics we all rely on, including rural hospitals that are already struggling to stay open.

Families USA along with the undersigned organizations stand ready to work together on solutions that will strengthen rather than shred the health care safety net and provide relief to American families struggling with health care costs.