GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin visited Helen DeVos Kids’s Hospital on Monday, assembly with sufferers and employees to debate the influence of the not too long ago handed “Big Beautiful Bill” on well being care supply.
Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat who voted in opposition to the laws, outlined three situations she says have to be met earlier than she would assist the federal finances this fall: restoration of Reasonably priced Care Act subsidies, reversal of Medicaid cuts and renewed funding for most cancers analysis.
She warned the present framework may price Michigan hospitals $6 billion over the subsequent decade, significantly threatening companies in rural communities.
“What that really means is really hard conversations around the state on whether we can keep services open, like labor and delivery,” she mentioned. “You tell a rural hospital they’re going to lose money, they start cutting services. You start cutting services in a rural area, people will drive hours and hours just to deliver a baby.”
‘Big, beautiful bill’ signed
In a Tuesday assertion, the White Home defended the invoice, arguing rural hospitals account for under 7% of Medicaid spending, “illustrating that they have not benefited from the massive increase in waste, fraud, and abuse under the Biden administration.”
“We are expanding rural hospital protection, providing targeted funds for rural care, and giving states flexibility to support local providers,” the assertion continued.
Slotkin mentioned she stays open to negotiations however emphasised her priorities.
“I’m keen to speak with anybody. However yeah, I’m going to care about well being care, yeah, I’m going to struggle for well being care and in case you’re not going to do something to assist restore a few of that well being care to People or decrease the value to People, it’s going to be robust to get my vote,” she mentioned.
Congress faces an Oct. 1 deadline to finalize the federal finances.
