FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2025
Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov
Congresswoman Barragán Holds Press Conference To Sound Alarm On Possible Hospital Closures and Reduced Services Due to Trump’s “One Big, Ugly Bill”
West Carson, CA — Yesterday, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) held a press conference at Harbor UCLA Medical Center to highlight how Trump’s Big, Ugly Bill — passed by House Republicans last month — threatens patients and puts hospitals at risk with deep cuts to Medicaid. She emphasized that hospitals like Harbor UCLA rely heavily on Medicaid to deliver critical care to millions. The Congresswoman also warned that Senate Republicans are pushing to make the largest health care cuts in history even worse by slashing key Medicaid funding, including provider tax rates in states that expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Congresswoman Barragán was joined by representatives from the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who described the harmful effects the Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid will have on both hospitals and patients.
“Our local hospitals provide critical, and in some cases life-saving, health care services to millions of Americans — they should not be at risk of closing because of Republicans’ bankrolling huge tax breaks for their billionaire buddies,” said Rep. Barragán. “House Republicans passed a budget that already contains the largest health care cuts in our country’s history and Senate Republicans have made the cuts even deeper.”
“When people are kicked off Medicaid, we’ll see packed emergency rooms and more expensive health care costs across the board. Hospitals that rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements may be forced to close — those that don’t close will face greater financial strain and possible reduction in services. This will impact neighboring hospitals as well — where patients will face overcrowding and longer wait times. The American people should not have to struggle to receive essential care — and House Democrats will fight like hell to save our hospitals and get our constituents the care they need.”
“I want to be very clear,” said Dr. Griselda Gutierrez, Chief Marketing Officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. “Medicaid is not a program for people who do not work. Our patients are seniors, children, and people with disabilities, who need health care. Home health aides, grocery workers, child care workers, parents who are juggling multiple jobs— often without benefits, contractors and gig workers, with no employee-sponsored health care insurance options. They’re the backbone of our communities and they rely on Medicaid to stay healthy and keep showing up for their families and for their jobs. Cutting Medicaid doesn’t just threaten hospitals, real people will suffer.”
“Medicaid cuts will have a disastrous effect on Los Angeles County — the largest county in the nation,” said Holly J. Mitchell, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Second District. “Twenty-five percent of LA County’s Medi-Cal recipients reside in my district alone. Medicaid is the foundation that allows our hospitals like Harbor UCLA and Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital to remain open and continue providing high-quality care that countless people rely on and deserve.”
The live stream for the press conference can be found HERE.
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