Cuts to Medicaid Supported by Congressional Republicans Would Have a Devastating Impact on Health Care Access for Residents in Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon

04.21.2025 /Press Release

Cuts to Medicaid Supported by Congressional Republicans Would Have a Devastating Impact on Health Care Access for Residents in Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon

New Fact Sheet from Families USA Highlights Importance of Medicaid for OR-02's Families

MEDFORD, OR - A new fact sheet from Families USA details the impacts of deep cuts to the Medicaid program in the Republican budget that Rep. Bentz voted for, which would have devastating consequences for the health and economic security of Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon. Oregon's Medicaid program, Oregon Health Plan, provides health care coverage for more than 270,000 residents, according to the fact sheet.

"Americans have been showing up in townhalls, calling their representatives in Congress and demanding that Republicans in Washington stop their plan to massively cut the health care that Americans want and need," said Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA. "Deep cuts to Medicaid would be devastating for Oregon residents, resulting in significant coverage losses, forcing rural hospitals, long-term care facilities or community clinics to close or scale back services, and throwing state budgets into crisis. We should all be asking every member of Congress who voted for this budget why they are willing to harm working families in their own district just to pay for a tax break for billionaires."

Medicaid is a lifeline for Easten, Central and Southern Oregon:

• 270,200 residents - 38% of all residents in OR-02.
• 81,100 children - 55% of all children living in OR-02.
• 49,200 seniors and people with disabilities have Medicaid coverage.

Families in Eastern Oregon already struggle to pay for health care:

• 78% of people living in Eastern Oregon are worried about affording health care.
• 65% of people living in Eastern Oregon are struggling to pay medical bills.
• 87% of people living in Eastern Oregon skipped needed care due to cost.

Families USA, the longtime health consumer advocate, is organizing with groups in Oregon and across the nation to protect Medicaid from severe cuts, caps or other regulations that will result in millions of Americans losing access to the health care they need. Earlier this year, Families USA led hundreds of organizations to call on Congress and the Trump administration to reject cuts to Medicaid and work to make health care more affordable, not less.

For additional resources, see Families USA's fact sheets on how work reporting requirements would undermine access to Medicaid, how cuts harm families and communities, and the overall importance of Medicaid to people, the economy and the health care system.

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