HENRICO, VA (July 3, 2025): Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA) is deeply disappointed by today’s House vote to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) to the president’s desk. When enacted, this legislation will lead to nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts – the largest ever proposed by Congress. These cuts will cause significant harm to our healthcare system by reducing access to care for all Americans and severely undermining the ability of community health centers (CHCs) to care for our most vulnerable patients.
In Virginia, a substantial number of individuals and families depend on Medicaid for access to essential services, including preventive care, maternal health, and treatment for chronic conditions. The bill’s healthcare cuts would likely result in the displacement of Virginians from their healthcare coverage, pushing many into uninsured status and limiting their access to necessary medical services.
CHCs in Virginia, which play a vital role in delivering care to the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations, will also be severely affected. With reduced funding, these centers may face challenges in maintaining their current level of service. Many could be forced to cut programs, reduce staff, or even close their doors, particularly in rural and underserved areas where healthcare options are already limited.
In addition, the legislation caps student loans for medical students in some professions at $200,000, simply not enough to cover the full cost of expensive advanced degrees, leading some prospective students to turn to riskier private student loans, or decide against going to medical school altogether, making existing healthcare workforce shortages in high-need areas like rural health centers even worse.
Over the past several months, VCHA has prioritized communicating the serious consequences this bill would have on our communities to legislators. Moving forward, we are committed to working closely with our member health centers to develop innovative solutions and strategies that will allow them to continue delivering high-quality healthcare to those who need it most.
