SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker and some of the most powerful Illinois Democrats gathered at the University of Illinois Chicago healthcare center as they demanded Republicans to keep "their hands off Medicaid."
Congress, with both chambers having a slim Republican majority, have a new budget that would include funding cuts to Medicaid. Pritzker said if the budget passes, 3.4 million Illinoisan will lose their healthcare coverage.
"People will be stripped of life saving care, people will die, and blood will be on the hands of the Trump/Vance administration," Pritzker said. "The consequences will be devastating."
The Democrat Governor also said if Medicaid is cut, the state cannot afford to supplement the program in the financial year 2026 budget.
Congressional Democrats can't stop the budget alone. With the slim GOP majority, they would only need a couple of Republicans to break ranks to stop any potential cuts to the program.
"We need three brave Republicans to stop the madness and unfortunately we're not going to find them in Illinois," Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Illinois) said. "That doesn't mean you should give them a break. You should call Boss, Miller and LaHood."
Medicaid doesn't only cover Illinois senior citizens. It also covers 1.4 million children, 44% of mothers giving birth and covers 770,000 adults in ACA expansions.
The budget was voted along partisan lines, with 217 Republican votes and 215 Democrat votes. Many Illinois Republicans support the budget cuts, who say the people voted for Donald Trump to reduce government funding.
"The Governor and the Democrat party in the House are out of touch," State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis) said. "With the majority of the American people [supporting Trumps plans]."
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) said the people who will be affected most are downstate Illinoisan. Rural Illinois is known for having too few hospitals to support the population, with many closing down in the past decade.
"There were a lot of Republicans in the delegation representing those downstate hospitals who voted for that plan," Durbin said. "How will they be able to explain the closing of critical care hospitals in their communities downstate. I don't think there's an easy answer."
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