WASHINGTON—Today, 11 of the nation's leading civil rights and health equity organizations held a joint press briefing to release a report analyzing the Medicaid cuts passed recently by the U.S. House of Representatives. The House-passed Budget Resolution framework would make the largest Medicaid cuts in American history, placing at risk the health and financial security of more than 70 million children, seniors, people with disabilities and working families. While people of all backgrounds would be in danger, the report finds that communities of color would suffer especially widespread harm: nearly 42 million people, or approximately a third of all people of color in the U.S., rely on Medicaid for health care and would be placed in harm’s way if the House’s cuts become law.  

The group underscored the importance and urgency of this issue as members of Congress from both chambers consider the House-passed bill to develop a binding blueprint for budget reconciliation legislation that could pass with support from the majority party alone.

Click here to watch and replay the press briefing.

The House Budget Resolution would cut at least $880 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years to help finance $4.5 trillion in tax breaks = primarily benefiting the extremely wealthy and large corporations. The report documents how communities of color are especially at risk, with Medicaid covering half of all children of color and more than a fourth of adults of color aged 65 and older. Medicaid currently furnishes health care and protection from unaffordable medical bills to:  

• 20.3 million Latinos, including half of all Hispanic children and nearly 3 in 10 Hispanic adults aged 65 and older. 

• 13.3 million African Americans, including almost 60% of all Black children and more than a third of older African American adults. 

• 4.5 million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, including over a quarter of children and adults aged 65 and older. 

• 700,000 Native Americans, including 60% of all Native children and 2 in 5 older adults. 

In addition, the report also finds that another 17 million Medicaid beneficiaries are part of the labor force and lack a college degree — a group that leaders from both political parties claim to support. Nearly 60% of these workers — 10.2 million people — are people of color, including 5 million Latinos, 3 million African Americans, 900,000 Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and nearly 200,000 Native Americans.  

The report highlights that people who are uninsured rather than covered by Medicaid often experience great harm as: 1) uninsured people are far more likely to go without essential care due to cost; 2) by foregoing essential care, many people who are uninsured rather than covered by Medicaid experience severe and often permanent damage to their health; 3) without health insurance, families’ health care costs skyrocket; and 4) childhood insurance gaps have profound, lifelong effects that damage children’s future health and limit their later achievement of economic self-sufficiency. 

Speakers at today’s news conference noted that, in last year’s election, candidates from both parties promised to lower the cost of everyday necessities, like health care, food and housing. They charged that proposals to cut Medicaid would break these promises, since millions of Americans would face unaffordable medical bills without any health insurance protection.  

Today’s report referenced public opinion polls showing that Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike oppose Medicaid cuts and have a favorable opinion of the program. For many people, this issue is personal: for almost 2 in 5 Americans, including 38% of people who voted for President Trump, Medicaid covers them or someone in their immediate family. 

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-6), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) stated, "4.5 million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders rely on Medicaid for affordable, quality healthcare, but President Trump and House Republicans have put forth a budget that would cut Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. This would result in millions of Americans losing their healthcare, hospital closures, doctor shortages, and higher insurance costs. Additionally, health disparities would only worsen as individuals and families are forced to decide between putting food on the table or paying for lifesaving healthcare. We will not let this stand. CAPAC is fighting back against attempts to cut this vital lifeline."

Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL-2), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Health Braintrust stated, “House Republicans promised to lower those costs. They lied. Their proposed budget would cut $880 billion from Medicaid, putting over 300,000 people in the Second District at risk of losing healthcare. They want to take away people's healthcare to give a $4.5 trillion tax break to their wealthy friends, like Elon Musk. Republicans control the White House, the Senate, the House, and the Courts. With all this power, they decide to give more money to the wealthy and step on the American people who are already trying to make ends meet. It's unacceptable.”

“Slashing Medicaid isn’t just a policy choice—it’s a direct attack on the health and well-being of millions of Americans, especially people of color who already face systemic barriers to care. These cuts would rip away essential coverage, forcing families to forgo doctor visits, life-saving medications, and critical treatments,” said Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL-9), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) “Gutting Medicaid would only deepen inequality and push the most vulnerable further to the margins. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and getting the care they need to survive.”

Juliet K. Choi, president and CEO, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum stated, “Across the country, hard-working families are already struggling to afford basic necessities, and any cuts to Medicaid would have devastating and long-lasting consequences—putting the health and security of millions, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities, at risk. We do not need more tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. We need urgent action to strengthen Medicaid and ensure that our nation’s most vulnerable—including more than 1 million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander children—do not lose access to life-saving care. This is not just about policy; it’s about people’s lives. The rights and dignity of so many Americans are on the line, and Congress must have the courage and commitment to do the right thing.​​”

President and CEO of UnidosUS, Janet Murguía stated, “Medicaid is more than a healthcare program — At a time when Americans are struggling with rising costs, the House leadership is choosing to make life even harder. What we are seeing is a direct attack on working families, forcing them into impossible choices—skip healthcare, go into debt, or struggle to afford rent and food. Medicaid is a fundamental pillar of economic security for 70 million Americans, including more than 20 million Latinos. These cuts would not only hurt individuals but also drain communities and states of essential resources, putting public health and local economies at risk. Voters did not ask for this, and the vast majority of Americans—across party lines—oppose these cuts. UnidosUS calls on Congress to reject this dangerous proposal and protect Medicaid for the millions of families who rely on it."

Derrick Johnson, NAACP’s president and CEO, stated, “They say a budget reflects values. The proposed government funding plans make it clear that Donald Trump and his followers in Congress do not value the health of Americans. As the nation’s leading civil rights organization, we know that regressive policies disproportionately impact our community, but the effects are reverberating throughout all vulnerable communities across this nation. We’re not just talking about the 13 million Black Americans who stand to lose their care, we are talking about propelling most of this nation into deeper debt, and worsening health outcomes. The NAACP proudly stands with our partners in making this year’s Medicaid report findings public. We hope that, when equipped with the facts, Americans will band together in fighting for our collective futures.”

Marc Morial, president, National Urban League (NUL) stated, “Medicaid provides healthcare to almost half children in the United States. It allows elderly parents and grandparents and people with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities, easing the burden on their loved ones. It covers the costs of life-saving medications for chronic diseases. Ripping away this lifeline for millions of working families, simply to divert ever more of our precious resources to billionaires, will further deepen the already-severe health inequities for people of color and other marginalized communities. It is a shocking betrayal of our nation's values, and the National Urban League and our allies will not stand for it."

Maya Wiley, president and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, stated, “People need to be able to see a doctor when they’re sick. Medicaid is health insurance and many people who receive it are workers in stores, on farms, and in small businesses that don't provide insurance. Whether you are a white man working for a logging company or a Black woman serving people food or someone living with a disability you deserve health insurance. People of color are more often in low paying jobs with no insurance and have higher rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Lifesaving lab tests and medications are on the chopping block. Do our leaders care that Black women are 3-4 times more likely to die to be mothers or one in six Native Americans suffer from diabetes? No one voted to be forced to choose between paying rent or getting a doctor's care or a prescription. People voted for help and not to be harmed so we call on our leaders to invest in solutions rather than slashing life expectancies.”

Shavon Arline-Bradley, president and CEO, National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) stated, “It is deeply concerning that the U.S. would consider cutting Medicaid. There is no humanity behind these budget cuts. Not having a safety net for health care for the least of us says that you do not understand the needs of the American people and are clearly out of touch. We join steadfastly with our partners to let members of Congress know we support the findings that will be shared in the Medicaid report being released and encourage them to read it to make a responsible budget decision.”

Deborah Weinstein, executive director, Coalition on Human Needs, stated, “The drastic cuts proposed in the House budget hurt those who can least afford it, and when combined with harsh additional cuts in SNAP nutrition aid, strike a vicious and needless blow at the health and well-being of tens of millions of people, many of whom are our children, threatening their future and the nation’s. Half or more of Medicaid enrollees who are children or workers without college degrees are people of color. Most appalling: the budget denies this essential help to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.”

Brad Woodhouse, president, Protect Our Care, stated, “Every single one of the 72 million people relying on Medicaid is at risk of losing lifesaving health care. These are our neighbors and loved ones. No matter who you are, where you live, or who you voted for, if Trump and Republicans in Congress gut Medicaid, the results will devastate communities everywhere. Not only will health care costs for everyone increase, hospitals will close, nursing home patients will be kicked to the curb, and health inequities will surge, beginning with our nation’s children. Those don’t sound like ‘family values’ to me. Trump has put the health and well-being of every American in serious jeopardy all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. It’s a disgrace.”

Anthony Wright, executive director, Families USA, stated, "Cutting away at the health care lifeline from low-income families living paycheck to paycheck is cruel and counterproductive to the affordability that Americans voted for. These health care cuts will impact all of us and the health care system we all depend on, regardless of our race or ethnicity, who we voted for, or even whether we have Medicaid coverage. Cuts of hundreds of billions of dollars will harm the hospitals and clinics and health services in all our communities — especially those that that are rural, red, and/or swing constituencies.”

Mara Youdelman, Managing Director of Federal Advocacy, National Health Law Program, stated, “Medicaid is a lifeline, providing millions of individuals and families with essential health care. Cutting its funding would worsen inequities and push more people into crisis. At the National Health Law Program, we believe health outcomes should not be determined by race, income, language, disability, or other identity. We call on all members of Congress to reject these harmful Medicaid cuts and work toward a just, inclusive health care system.”

“The Medicaid program is one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in the country,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO, of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “The anticipated cuts to Medicaid will be devastating to low-income families, seniors needing care, people with disabilities and people of color who already struggle to afford essential health care. The cuts will deepen the current health care crisis in the states of the Deep South - many of which have refused Medicaid expansion and will now struggle to fill the gap. It is unconscionable that Congress would abandon the most vulnerable communities in favor of prioritizing tax cuts to billionaires and corporations.”

The following groups jointly released today’s report:

• The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

• The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

• NAACP

• The National Council of Negro Women

• The National Urban League

• The Southern Poverty Law Center

• UnidosUS

• The Coalition on Human Needs

• Families USA

• The National Health Law Program

• Protect Our Care

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About APIAHF

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

About UnidosUS

UnidosUS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Since 1968, we have challenged the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos through our unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of over 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. We believe in an America where economic, political, and social progress is a reality for all Latinos, and we collaborate across communities to achieve it. For more information on UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and Threads.

About SPLC

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. SPLC works tirelessly—through litigation, advocacy, and public education- to expand opportunity, eliminate poverty, and combat racial economic inequality in America. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org/

About The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society — an America as good as its ideals.

About Protect Our Care

Protect Our Care is dedicated to making high-quality, affordable and equitable health care a right, and not a privilege, for everyone in America. We educate the public, influence policy, support health care champions and hold politicians accountable. All of us at Protect Our Care believe strongly that health care is a human right and everyone should be able to get the health care they need regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, income or where they live. For more information on Protect Our Care, visit www.protectourcare.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and Bluesky.

About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity. Visit naacp.org for more information.

About the National Health Law Program

The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) protects and improves access to health care for low-income and underserved people and works to advance health equity. We believe that everyone should have access to high quality, equitable health care and be able to achieve their own highest attainable standard of health. We enforce health care and civil rights laws; advocate for better federal and state laws and policies; train, support and partner with national, state and local health and civil rights advocates; and use strategic communications to achieve these goals.

About NCNW

National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is an “organization of organizations,” comprised of over 380 campus and community-based sections and 38 national women’s organizations that enlightens, inspires, and connects more than 2,000,000 women and men. Its mission is to lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families and communities. It was founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, an influential educator and activist, and for more than fifty years, the iconic Dr. Dorothy Height was president of NCNW.

Today, NCNW programs are grounded on a foundation of critical concerns that are now “NCNW Priorities.” Our organization promotes education; encourages entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and economic stability; educates women about health and promotes healthcare access, and promotes civic engagement and advocates for sound public policy and social justice.

About the Coalition on Human Needs

The Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies which address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations.

The Coalition’s members include civil rights, religious, labor, and professional organizations, service providers and those concerned with the well-being of children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. For more information, go to www.chn.org

About Families USA

Families USA, a leading national voice for health care consumers, is dedicated to the achievement of high quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.

About National Urban League

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. Our mission is to uplift those in underserved communities by empowering communities through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life. With 92 affiliates across 36 states and the District of Columbia, the Urban League works to improve the lives of nearly four million people annually.