WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jacky Rosen today delivered a floor speech detailing the potentially catastrophic consequences of recent Medicaid cuts enacted by Congressional Republicans, focusing on the specific impacts to nevada’s healthcare infrastructure and residents. Rosen warned the cuts, designed to fund tax breaks for high-income earners, will overwhelm hospitals, force delays in preventative care, and ultimately endanger lives.
Rosen highlighted the precarious state of trauma care in Nevada, noting the state relies on a single Level I trauma center. She recounted conversations with healthcare professionals across the state, including those at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, who expressed deep concern over the financial strain the cuts will impose and the resulting decline in patient access to care.
“Our conversation made it clear: these Medicaid cuts will be devastating for the hospital’s finances and they’ll make patients less likely to seek preventative health care – often waiting until it’s too late,” Rosen stated on the Senate floor. “This will strain our hospitals’ resources even more and could have terrible consequences for families.”
The Senator also cited a visit to Northern Nevada HOPES,a Reno-based nonprofit community health center,where staff described a cycle of delayed care,escalating emergency room visits,and increased financial burdens when Medicaid coverage is reduced. Sharon Chamberlain, CEO of Northern Nevada HOPES, characterized the situation as “not a budget issue. It’s a public health emergency,” adding, “No amount of innovation, no amount of efficiency, can fully offset the damage caused by policies that strip coverage of those that need it most.”
Rosen emphasized the widespread nature of the crisis, stating the impacts will extend far beyond Nevada. She directly criticized Republicans for prioritizing “politics and tax cuts for billionaires over people’s health,” and warned, “people will die because of these Republican cuts.”
To counter the cuts,Rosen has joined Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to overturn the republican budget law and protect Medicaid access. She previously condemned the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” in July, delivering a floor speech warning of it’s detrimental effects on Nevada’s healthcare system. In August, she co-sponsored legislation specifically aimed at reversing the Medicaid cuts.
