Nebraska For Us, experts lead discussion on how Medicaid cuts that Congressman Don Bacon voted for will hurt local families

OMAHA, Nebraska (June 26, 2025)—Former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure joined Nebraska For Us and a panel of experts for a virtual roundtable to discuss how cuts to Medicaid will rip health care from working Nebraska families, put hospitals at risk of closure, and call on Congressman Don Bacon to reverse his support for cuts to Medicaid. Bacon voted for the GOP Tax Scam last month, which would kick 26,126 Nebraskans off of Medicaid just to pay for billionaire tax breaks.

“Hope is not lost as the bill is not law yet, but we should be building on progress by making health care coverage more affordable and less complicated,” former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said. “These cuts would be devastating for people and providers across the country. Hospitals in this country are struggling, especially in rural areas.”

If Republicans do get their way, dramatic and harmful Medicaid cuts would put a strain on state budgets that are already struggling and could also have a major impact on Nebraska’s local communities.

“We spent a great deal of time and energy this year making sure we have a balanced budget, but that budget is only balanced on paper as it does not take into account any potential federal benefit cuts,” Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh said. “There is a real concern that the state is going to have to pick up more of the administration costs. One-third of Nebraska’s budget is from federal funding, so this is not a sustainable path forward for the state.”

“We do not know exactly where the Medicaid cuts are going to come from in terms of policy changes, but there are a variety of options out there to make cuts,” said Dr. David Palm, Director of the Center for Health Policy at University of Nebraska Medical Center. “Medicaid spending could fall $3 or $4 billion in Nebraska, and hospitals and physician clinics would take a hit and potentially even close—affecting patients and employees. This would also create more stress on health departments and nonprofits that are already underfunded. These cuts are so huge, and it is difficult for people to wrap their arms around them.”

“While the initial Medicaid claim for my sister was expedited following her stroke, the renewal process is an added stress that can often take an extended period of time,” Omaha resident Vanessa Chavez Jurado said. “There is already such a strain in the system, and massive Medicaid cuts could make the problem even worse. My sister cannot advocate for herself, so that is why my family and I keep speaking up. We need to remind policymakers that people are going to be impacted.”

This latest roundtable is the latest in a series of discussions Nebraska For Us is hosting about massive cuts proposed in the Republican Tax Scam. The sweeping plan continues to face mounting opposition from the public.

“In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a groundswell of people sharing their concerns about these cuts with us at a variety of community events,” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “We know that now is the time for people to use their voices and express their opposition to this reconciliation bill before it is too late. Tell your senators they should vote no, and tell Congressman Bacon he should have never voted for these cuts in the first place. If this bill comes back to the House for a final vote, he should stand up for working people and vote no.”

Nebraska For Us focuses on federal economic policies that impact working class and middle income Nebraskans, specifically with the potential extension or expansion of the 2017 GOP Tax Law and cuts to programs Nebraska families rely on. Nebraska For Us encourages members of the public to contact the offices of Congressman Don Bacon—along with our entire federal delegation—urging them to protect Medicaid, not cut it.