A coalition of West Virginians urged the state’s senators to just say no to changes to federally funded medical and food support.
The gathering at the Cabin Creek Health Systems clinic on Charleston’s West Side focused on the effects of proposed changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, called SNAP.
The U.S. Senate is considering the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that advances many of President Trump’s top priorities, including extending the 2017 tax cuts enacted in his first term and expanding border enforcement while going ahead with deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other federal programs.
Recent polling has shown that most Americans have negative views of the big bill, although many say they aren’t fully informed about it.
“In Washington, D.C., they are making cruel calculations,” said Lida Shepherd of the American Friends Service Committee. “How big of a handout of our tax dollars can be given to the wealthiest families and corporations while taking SNAP and Medicaid from all of us? Will we let them get away with playing political chess with our lives?
“So we are here today to tell senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito loud and clear that we know what is at stake in this federal budget fight. People’s lives and people’s livelihoods are at stake. Our community-based healthcare system, our rural hospitals and our local economies are at stake.”
Senate leaders have aimed to pass the “One Big Beautiful Bill” by the Fourth of July. The proposals in the legislation institute more rigorous requirements for Medicaid that are anticipated to cause millions of people to drop their Medicaid coverage.
One of the new provisions is “community engagement requirements” of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents.
Critics have said the work requirement actually represents greater red tape for recipients who could forget to maintain their coverage, misunderstand steps or miss a key update.
People would also have to verify their eligibility to be in the program twice a year, rather than just once. And the bill adds a more rigorous income verification for those who enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s health care coverage.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s latest cost estimate concludes that the bill would reduce federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion and increase the number of people without health insurance by 10.9 million, because of changes to Medicaid and the ACA.
Some members of the U.S. Senate’s Republican majority have warned against slicing Medicaid — in particular, Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. “It’s wrong,” Hawley has said.
At the West Virginia gathering to spotlight the effects of the changes, Cabin Creek Health Systems executive director Amber Crist questioned the work requirements aspect of the bill.
“The reality is that nearly two-thirds of Medicaid recipients in West Virginia are already working, and another 29 percent are caregivers, students or have disabilities keeping them from work,” she said.
“The Big, Beautiful Budget Bill isn’t designed to eliminate fraud, waste or abuse from the Medicaid program — it’s designed to make it harder for the vast majority of West Virginians who participate in the program to keep their Medicaid benefits.”
Sherri McKinney, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union District 1199 representing thousands of healthcare workers, outlined potential broad economic effects.
“Cutting Medicaid doesn’t just hurt patients; it threatens the jobs of the frontline healthcare workers who care for the patients. Some of the largest employers in the state are hospitals, nursing homes and home healthcare providers who rely on Medicaid to keep the doors open,” McKinney said.
“Cuts to Medicaid will mean layoffs, short staffing and increased pressure on an already strained healthcare workforce. Congress should be working to protect our communities and not hurting them but cutting Medicaid.”
The bill would reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, by roughly $286 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office analysis
A major aspect would expand the age range for work requirements.
The work requirements would mean 3.2 million people would lose food stamp benefits in an average month over the next decade, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.
Furthermore, the bill would require states to take on more of the costs of administering SNAP and limit future administrations’ ability to raise benefit amounts.
Senator Justice, a Republican, has questioned that aspect of the bill and how it would affect the finances of states like West Virginia.
“If we don’t watch out, people are going to get hurt, people are going to be upset. It’s going to be the No.1 thing on the nightly news all over the place,” Justice told Politico. “And then, we could very well awaken to a situation in this country where the majority quickly becomes the minority.”
At the West Virginia gathering on Tuesday, Libbie Booker with Women in NAACP said the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — true to its name — is meant to help people have enough food.
“We’re not asking anyone state or federal to pay for all of our food, we are only asking for assistance,” Booker said.
She concluded, “If you are bringing, signing onto or voting for bills that harm the least of us, your constituents and God’s children, then I say to you that you should immediately cease and desist. Represent those who voted you into office, we the people.”