Ann Greiner, President and CEO of the Primary Care Collaborative, issued the following statement in response to the latest proposed text for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
“For the sake of Americans’ health and the future of primary care, the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) asks the Senate to reject proposed funding reductions to the Medicaid program. The health provisions in the bill before the Senate today would set back the Administration’s and Congress’s efforts to prevent chronic illnesses and their complications.
“Last-minute, incremental improvements have not fixed and cannot fix the flaw at the heart of the bill’s health care provisions — defunding primary care and the Medicaid financing on which our health depends.
“Surveys have shown that at least one-third of primary care practices are worried the changes would force them to shutter, destroying ongoing relationships with care teams and exacerbating existing access challenges for families across the nation. The CBO estimates that nearly 8 million Americans would lose coverage from the Medicaid provisions alone, which would lead to more patients seeking care in already overwhelmed emergency departments.
“The outcomes of this approach could stall progress toward the Trump Administration’s goal of a healthier America — escalating our pressing health challenges, including mental health, substance use and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
“We stand ready with the broader community to work with Congress on pragmatic, bipartisan solutions that improve and enhance the Medicaid program. But first, the US Senate must show courage today and reject these counterproductive proposals.”