Republicans are slashing
 Medicaid in 2026

303days
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Kentucky has 35 hospitals shutting down, more than any other state, because Kentucky Republicans would rather give tax breaks to billionaires.

  • Mitch McConnell

    U.S. Senate

    Mitch McConnell

  • Andy Barr

    CD-06

    Andy Barr

  • Brett Guthrie

    CD-02

    Brett Guthrie

  • Hal Rogers

    CD-05

    Hal Rogers

  • Jamie Comer

    CD-01

    Jamie Comer

  • Thomas Massie

    CD-04

    Thomas Massie

Massie didn’t vote for the big, ugly budget because he wanted more cuts to Medicaid!

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Medicaid Cuts Timeline

2025

  • July 4, 2025

    Kentucky Republicans help pass the Big Betrayal Budget
    • Kentucky Republicans help pass the Big Betrayal Budget to give trillions in new tax giveaways to billionaires and corporations.

  • August 5, 2025

    Health systems begin cutting services and staff
    • Kentucky health care facilities, like U of L Health, start canceling projects and cutting services and staff because of massive cuts to Medicaid.

  • November 1, 2025

    ACA Open Enrollment begins with higher premiums
    • ACA open enrollment begins with new, higher premiums.

  • December 1, 2025

    Kentucky Republicans vote to end health care tax credits for working families
    • Despite hundreds of Kentuckians signing a petition to lower health care costs, all Kentucky Republicans in Congress vote to let monthly premiums double or even triple for their constituents.
2026

  • January 1, 2026

    Premiums double for 100,000 Kentuckians
    • Premiums skyrocket for marketplace enrollees as Republicans allow ACA tax credits to expire.
    • Federal funding decreases for Medicaid expansion states like Kentucky.

  • January 7, 2026

    House Democrats advance bill to restore health care tax credits
    • Democrats force Republican leaders to stop blocking a vote on lowering health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
    • Despite all Republican members of Kentucky’s House delegation voting against the bill to lower costs, it advances to the U.S. Senate.

  • January 27, 2026

    State House Republicans introduce state budget slashing health care for all state workers
    • Republican lawmakers writing Kentucky’s state budget (HB 500) unveil a plan to slash health care for Kentucky’s 310,000 state workers, including state troopers, school bus drivers, and teachers.
    • Premiums will increase by an estimated 78% while coverage goes down.

  • October 1, 2026

    Federal funding decreases for emergency Medicaid services
    • Federal funding decreases for emergency Medicaid services.

  • December 31, 2026

    Paperwork burden increases
    • A huge increase in paperwork for enrollees kicks in, forcing nearly 1.5 million Kentuckians to prove they “deserve” health care more often.
2027

  • January 1, 2027

    Even more paperwork and health care barriers
    • Even more paperwork requirements kick in nationally.
    • People kicked off Medicaid now blocked from getting subsidized market coverage.

  • October 1, 2027

    Deep provider tax cuts hit rural hospitals
    • Massive decrease in federal funding for rural hospitals through deep provider tax cuts.
    • Kentucky hospitals — especially 35 rural hospitals at risk of closing — fire workers, cut services, and delay or cancel projects to stay open.ß
2028

  • January 1, 2028

    Fewer drugs eligible for Medicare price negotiation
    • Fewer drugs eligible for Medicare price negotiation, meaning Kentucky seniors pay more for essential medication.

  • October 1, 2028

    New Medicaid cost-sharing fees
    • Some Medicaid recipients forced to pay new cost-sharing fees for every health care service.

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