July 8, 2025
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Today, 314 Action held a virtual press conference spotlighting the short-term and long-term impacts of Republicans’ billionaire budget bill, which will cut $1 trillion to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Speakers highlighted the risk of emergency departments shutting down, potential staffing shortages in hospitals and nursing homes, and rural hospitals facing the brink of bankruptcy.
314 Action vowed to hold Republicans accountable by fielding qualified Democratic doctors and scientists for Congress and focusing on restoring health care in the midterms. A summary of their remarks are outlined below:
Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action
“Health care isn’t just a bedrock issue, it is a moral crisis and a pocketbook issue, and it is going to decide the midterms for Democrats and for our country…Our fight is just beginning, and every single day from now until November 2026, we will be reminding the American people of what this disastrous bill is going to do to our health care.”
Shelly Werger, Iowa mom whose family depends on Medicaid
“My husband and I are scared and worried what could happen to all families like ours. We aren’t sure how we will pay for such massive jumps in the cost of our health care. We have been brainstorming, trying to come up with ideas of how to increase our family’s income. There are not many options out there.”
Dr. Manan Trivedi, internal medicine hospitalist
“When unpaid care goes up at a hospital, it causes payers to be spread out throughout the system. The other thing to think about here is what happens is when you have more ER visits, the hospitals get backed up, and when… we’re too backed up at my hospital, we have to go and shut down the ER, and that’s going to happen more and more.”
Anne Shoup, Senior Advisor of Protect Our Care
“People’s costs are going to go up immediately. Republicans’ bill will shutter—and I mean, this number is incredible for rural hospitals and nursing homes, they could shutter over 330 rural hospitals and 570 nursing homes across the country. Republicans pushed for this bill that prioritizes profits over people and cruelty over care.”
Dr. Annie Andrews, pediatrician and candidate for U.S. Senate in South Carolina
“Medicaid is the backbone of children’s health care in this country, and with these drastic cuts, the entire system is at risk of collapsing. EDs will be overrun and children will needlessly suffer. This is truly the worst case scenario for those of us who work in pediatric health care. And yet, just last week, Senator Lindsey Graham and his Republican colleagues voted to strip away that care and to pass the biggest budget cuts to Medicaid in American history.”