Democratic lawmakers warn of ​‘all-out assault’ on Medicaid, though Trump says the program is safe

Joining Murray at the Capitol was state Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane; Rep. Emily Randall, D-Bremerton; and health care professionals, all of whom voiced concerns about what cutting the program would mean to the state.

“These cuts will make my job, and that of my colleagues, even more difficult,” said Justin Gill, president of the Washington State Nurses Association. “We’ll struggle to coordinate care, secure medications, and order necessary tests and diagnostics for our patients. The burden of navigating an already complex system will only grow, further contributing to burnout and workforce shortages.”

The comments come after Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a budget resolution last month that directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion in spending over the next 10 years. While the budget resolution does not specifically call for the cuts to be made to Medicaid, many, including Murray, say it would be impossible for the committee to meet the reduced spending levels without slashing funding for the program.

“You can bet that back in the other Washington, I will be fighting every way I can to protect people’s health care, lift up the voices of families here in Washington state, and make sure at the very least, our Republican colleagues hear from their constituents that they are so determined to hurt,” Murray said.