Governor Spanberger Signs Executive Order to Protect Virginians’ Healthcare & Food Assistance

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today signed Executive Order 20 to strengthen the Commonwealth's response to the devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP imposed by H.R. 1 - President Donald Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill."

The Governor's order directs the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to protect healthcare coverage and food assistance for as many eligible Virginians as possible. More than 1.8 million Virginians are enrolled in Medicaid and nearly 800,000 Virginians are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The order lays out the Commonwealth's plan to contend with H.R.1 in a way that mitigates harm by preventing gaps in coverage, improving statewide coordination, promoting economic mobility, keeping Virginia families safe and healthy, and prioritizing affordability.

"At a time when rising costs - made worse by chaos coming out of Washington - are squeezing families across the Commonwealth and the country, President Trump and Republicans in Washington chose to make the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in history," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "These critical programs are not only essential to the health and economic well-being of Virginians, but to Virginia's economy. In the wake of deep federal cuts that are driving up health insurance premiums, closing rural hospitals, and making it harder for Virginians to see their doctor, I'm committed to doing everything I can to protect Virginians."

Governor Spanberger continued, "The so-called 'One Big Beautiful Bill' makes substantial changes to the administration and eligibility requirements of Medicaid and SNAP, which will cause Virginians to lose their health coverage and food benefits at a time when life is getting more expensive. While the Commonwealth will not be able to fill the entirety of the gap created by these federal cuts, I am directing my Administration to use every tool available to protect Virginians."

"Families are already stretched. Losing help with groceries or health care only makes things harder," said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin B. Figueroa. "Washington changed the rules for Medicaid and food assistance. Yes, our job is to carry out the law. But our job is also to cut down on paperwork and confusion where we can and help people who still qualify keep food on the table and keep getting the health care they need. How well we do this depends on how well we come together."

Under Executive Order 20, Governor Spanberger establishes the Keep Virginia Covered policy to guide how executive agencies implement the new requirements and changes imposed by the federal government through H.R.1 with a focus on mitigating harm to Virginians.

The policy establishes the following goals:

• Keep every Virginian who remains eligible for Medicaid or SNAP enrolled and covered

• Minimize administrative and procedural barriers to enrollment and renewal wherever federal law affords the Commonwealth discretion

• Provide meaningful opportunities for economic mobility, workforce development, and employment resources

• Provide alternative opportunities for coverage and access to health and food services where feasible

• Build public-private partnerships that bring the Commonwealth's full civic and philanthropic capacity to bear where state government alone cannot fill the gap left by reduced federal funding

President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" is projected to threaten healthcare access for more than 300,000 Virginians receiving coverage through Medicaid. H.R.1 cuts the Medicaid program by a trillion dollars over the next 10 years nationwide, with an estimated $1.8 to $2.6 billion per year in lost federal funds in Virginia alone beginning in 2028. This estimate may even triple based on new rules proposed by the Trump Administration.

Virginia's biennium 2026-2028 budget includes more than $500 million in investments to strengthen the Commonwealth's healthcare system. These investments include $150 million to create a new premium assistance program for the Marketplace to support Virginians in accessing affordable healthcare coverage, $225 million in a Federal Contingency Fund - which the Governor's Executive Order 20 helps the Administration better leverage - to contend with federal funding reductions, and $15 million to support Federally Qualified Health Centers, free clinics, and outreach workers in the wake of these federal cuts.

Click here to read the full text of Governor Spanberger's Executive Order 20.

Last month, Virginia launched dashboards that show locality-level data on how recent federal cuts and policy changes are projected to impact programs such as SNAP and Virginia Medicaid, including through new work requirements for certain Virginians covered by Medicaid. Additionally, Governor Spanberger and her Administration hosted a series of roundtables and listening sessions to hear directly from patients, providers, and healthcare leaders across the Commonwealth who are affected by these federal cuts.

Virginians concerned that their Medicaid coverage could be affected by H.R.1 should visit the Department of Medical Assistance Services for more information on the law's changes. Those concerned that their food assistance could be affected by H.R.1 should visit the Department of Social Services for more information about the law's changes to SNAP.

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