WA lawmakers confront reality of cuts coming from One Big Beautiful Bill
Washington state lawmakers got a clearer picture Thursday of how the federal H.R. 1 tax and spending bill is changing certain health care and food assistance programs – and some didn’t like what they saw.
“This was very helpful, if not joyful – but helpful as we think about what we need to do in the upcoming session,” state Sen. June Robinson, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said following a presentation to the committee on the new law.
Medicaid, which provides health coverage for low-income people, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps, are the two biggest programs facing federal cuts and changes.
H.R. 1 was signed into law on July 4. Democrats have largely lambasted the sweeping bill as hurting the most vulnerable to benefit the wealthy few with sizable tax breaks. But Republicans argue that the legislation was necessary to combat waste, fraud and abuse in social service programs.
Ryan Moran, director of the Washington State Health Care Authority, called it a “really critical time for health care in the state.”
The federal changes come as Washington already is beginning to contend with significant budget challenges headed into the 2026 legislative session.
More than 620,000 Apple Health recipients - the name for Medicaid in Washington – will be impacted by new federal work requirements and other changes, with thousands potentially becoming uninsured, a PowerPoint presentation showed.
Gov. Bob Ferguson has previously projected that H.R. 1 will prompt 250,000 Washingtonians to lose Medicaid coverage.
In addition, next October, there will be loss of coverage for lawfully present noncitizens, said Dr. Charissa Fotinos, HCA’s Medicaid and behavioral health medical director. Over 10 years, as such changes unfold, the state will lose out on billions in federal revenue.
By the end of next year, states will need to institute new work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, according to the presentation. For full-coverage, adults aged 19 to 65 years old who don’t qualify for an exemption will be required to work, do community engagement or participate in training for 80 hours per month.
Starting October 2028, adults will be required to cover costing-sharing of up to $35 for certain services, per the presentation. People earning as little as $16,000 annually would be made to pay out of pocket – or potentially skip care altogether.
A combination of Affordable Care Act marketplace-related changes in H.R. 1 and elsewhere – including the potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits – is projected to lead to at least $100 million in uncompensated hospital care, the presentation says. There may also be a 33% to 50% reduction in qualified health plans in Washington and premium hikes of up to 15%.
“This is the third time I’ve given this talk or an iteration of it in the last 24 hours, and it makes me both sad and angry,” Fotinos said. “Sad because it doesn’t have to be this way. And angry because it doesn’t have to be this way.”
The new federal law will also, in part, broaden SNAP work requirements and end SNAP eligibility for tens of thousands of immigrants, lawmakers heard.
Washingtonians speak against H.R. 1
Invest in Washington Now, an organization that advocates for progressive revenue, held a virtual news conference ahead of Thursday’s Senate work session. The group pointed out that Washington has been projected to miss out on between $31 billion and $51 billion in federal Medicaid funding over a decade.
Some Republican lawmakers in the state, though, like Senate Minority Leader John Braun, have slammed Democrats for “fearmongering” over the tax and spending bill. Braun has said such lawmakers are likely overestimating its possible effects.
Julia Perez from Yakima said at Thursday’s news conference that families like hers struggle to afford groceries and pay bills.
“H.R. 1 is poised to strip away programs that keep food on the table for millions of families like mine,” the mom of three said in Spanish, which was then relayed in English by a translator.
Roger Haick worked for 35 years as an ICU and cardiac nurse in Eastern Washington. He said that since the new law passed, Providence Hospital in Chewelah has closed certain services in anticipation of Medicaid cuts. Staff have also left the community for other work.
H.R. 1’s SNAP changes are expected to put strain on the state’s food banks.
Rev. Jan Bolerjack from Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila has served the community for 18 years through the food bank, resource room and migrant services. She said she’s seen recent cutbacks in food provided to suppliers such as Northwest Harvest.
Prior to a year or so ago, families could receive about 50 pounds of food, and they could come to the pantry three times per week, Bolerjack said. Now those numbers have plummeted: Families are only getting 15 pounds of food, and can only come once a week.
Bolerjack said she looked in a food bag recently and saw two onions, a jar of chili sauce and coffee creamer: “Now, tell me how you make a meal of that.” Bread and meat are rarities. Yet as food stamps are getting scaled back, hundreds of people are lining up at Riverton Park for help, she said.
“And the food just isn’t there, and it’s really hard to see,” Bolerjack said.