Keep GOP hands off Medicaid, town-hall callers tell Fresno congressman | Opinion (2025)

Last month the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a resolution for a new budget that includes $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid, the federal health program for low-income people.

Jim Costa, the Democratic congressional representative from Fresno, voted against that resolution when it came up. He believes affordable health care should be an American right.

He held a telephone town hall meeting Tuesday to learn what his District 21 constituents thought about the Republican majority’s proposed reduction in Medicaid.

The overwhelming sentiment of those who voiced their concerns to Costa: Congress should keep its hands off Medicaid.

“We want you to do everything you can to stop all these chainsaw cuts that are happening because of DOGE,” a caller from Fresno named Sandra told Costa. She referred to the Department of Government Efficiency, which President Trump created and put Elon Musk in charge of running. DOGE has been slashing federal agencies and their budgets under the guise of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse.

Sandra told Costa she and her children get health care through programs for Native Americans, which Costa said are supported by Medicaid funding.

Another caller, Tamara from Exeter, told Costa how Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California) helps her pay for in-home services for her developmentally disabled daughter. Costa said such services would likely end or be reduced with Medicaid cuts.

Jill, a caller from Fresno, shared her worry about a bleak health-care future facing the nation if the Republicans in Congress and Trump gut federal health programs:

“If the Republican Congress is able to push through this cruel, cruel cut, this inhumane cut, will this be the green light for Republicans to eviscerate Medicare and then onto the Affordable Care Act? This is my worry. This will be just the first step in the entire obliteration of health care in this country.”

“I share your concern,” Costa said. Medicare is the federal health insurance program for seniors.

The town hall was conducted Tuesday afternoon via telephone and Facebook, and Anthony Camacho, Costa’s communications director, said 8,000 people dialed in or logged on.

Big Medicaid enrollment in Central California

There was good reason for such interest. The San Joaquin Valley has among the highest rates of Medicaid participation in the nation.

GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford, whose 22nd District covers parts of Kings, Kern and Tulare counties, has more than 500,000 residents receiving Medicaid; it is the highest enrollment for a congressional district in the state.

The program helps 456,500 in Costa’s district, which largely covers Fresno County. More than 400,000 people in Democrat Adam Gray’s 13th District use Medicaid. Gray is from Merced. Another 260,000 are enrolled in District 20, which GOP Rep. Vince Fong of Bakersfield leads. His district includes Clovis.

Republican Tom McClintock has 246,000 people in his Fifth Congressional District using Medicaid. His district covers foothills from near Sacramento south to a portion of northwest Fresno.

Medicaid recipients span the nation. So it would seem politically foolish for congressional Republicans to jeopardize coverage with major cuts — unless they value something more.

That they do: Tax cuts that would largely benefit the wealthiest Americans.

Trump eagerly wants to extend tax cuts that were enacted in his first term. Most income earners in America would benefit to some degree. But the highest-income earners would gain the biggest boost.

Low-income people would end up worse off financially if Congress cuts Medicaid and a supplemental nutrition program many depend on.

Costa vows to vote no to cuts

The first in a series of new votes on the 2025-26 budget may occur in the House today; final action is expected in the fall. Costa told the town hall he will continue to vote against any reductions in Medicaid.

“You cannot claim to care about rural America, which I represent a lot of, while taking health care from those who most need it,” Costa said. He later added: “It is the difference between life and death for so many families. Stripping Medicaid is not fiscal responsibility …. It is cruelty.”

The Bee Editorial Board urges Costa’s Valley colleagues — Valadao, Gray, Fong and McClintock — to also vote no to slashing Medicaid. The health of the region’s neediest residents depends on it.