Oregon health leaders warn proposed budget cuts could devastate rural healthcare
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Severe budget cuts may put rural hospitals and healthcare access at risk, particularly in regions where residents already face limited options for medical care.
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden joined his Democratic colleagues in Washington, D.C., to condemn the GOP’s budget proposal.
Republicans claim the plan, which they’ve dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” will reduce wasteful spending, reform what they call “entitlement programs,” and lower taxes.
However, in Oregon, hospital executives are warning that cuts to Medicaid, the state’s healthcare program for low-income individuals, would have dire consequences for the state’s rural communities.
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici heard from hospital leaders during a roundtable discussion on Wednesday, including representatives from Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy Health, and Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria.
Erik Thorsen, CEO of Columbia Memorial, said that rural areas are already struggling to provide specialty care, which often requires patients to travel long distances for treatment.
“I would say the biggest difference is access,” Thorsen said. “People are having to leave their community to seek care in an urban setting.”
In Tillamook County, nearly 35% of residents rely on Medicaid. Adventist Health Tillamook, the only hospital in the area, provides vital services, including local clinics, ambulance services, and a clinic inside the county jail.
Eric Swanson, President of Adventist Health Tillamook, said that cutting Medicaid eligibility would result in missed screenings and worse health outcomes for many residents. “If I don’t have insurance, am I going to get my colonoscopy every five years? Am I going to get my mammogram every year when it’s required?” Swanson said. “When you get those early screenings, that’s what saves lives.”
A study by Princeton University found that if the GOP’s budget bill passes, nearly 9 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage.
Oregon is projected to be among the hardest hit, with more than 15% of the state’s population losing access to the program.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, hours before the roundtable discussion, sharply criticized the proposed budget cuts.
She called the cuts “cruel and shortsighted,” warning that they would devastate the state’s healthcare system and disproportionately harm its most vulnerable residents.
“We will lose hospitals, we lose providers, and most importantly, people are going to suffer because of these cuts,” Kotek said at a news conference.
Swanson echoed the governor’s concerns, saying that the uncertainty surrounding the cuts has left hospitals scrambling. “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “We try to be as proactive as much as we can, but we can’t hit a moving target.”
In addition to the impacts on healthcare, Governor Kotek warned that the proposed budget would also dismantle the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), threatening food security for thousands of Oregonians. She added that the cuts would shift hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to the state.