Proposed federal Medicaid cuts could significantly impact Washington state’s budget, potentially forcing lawmakers into a special session. The Republican-led U.S. House recently passed a budget that assumes an extension of the 2017 tax cuts while slashing spending on programs like Medicaid and Medicare by $880 billion.
Washington’s Medicaid program, Apple Health, covers approximately 1.9 million residents—around 20% of the state’s population. If Congress enacts a proposed one-third reduction in Medicaid funding, Washington could see:
- 61,000 rural residents lose health coverage
- 210,000 children lose insurance
- Nearly 1 in 5 seniors lose nursing home care
- Over 600,000 people lose health coverage
House Speaker Laurie Jinkins (D-Tacoma) warned that such drastic cuts could send the Legislature into “completely uncharted territory.” The state is already working to close a projected $6 billion budget gap, and additional Medicaid cuts could cost Washington billions more.
With the legislative session set to end April 27, uncertainty looms over how the state will respond if federal cuts materialize. For now, lawmakers remain focused on balancing the budget while preparing for the potential financial strain ahead.
