Now is the time for Rep. David Valadao to show he opposes harmful Medicaid cuts | Opinion

The ball is back again on Rep. David Valadao’s court: Will the Bakersfield Republican hold firm on his position that he will not support legislation that cuts Medicaid coverage, or will he cast a vote for a “Big Beautiful Bill” that is projected to result in millions of uninsured people.

On April 14, Valadao and 11 other Republicans drew a red line when they wrote a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson saying they “cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.”

Valadao voted for the House’s reconciliation bill when it passed by a razor-thin 215-214 vote. After the vote, the representative for the 22nd Congressional District said he “successfully preserved the integrity of the program and prevented proposals that would disproportionately impact California.”

Last Saturday, three days before the Senate passed its version of the bill, Valadao restated his intention to vote no if the House version on Medicaid cuts differed significantly from the Senate plan.

“I’ve been clear from the start that I will not support a final reconciliation bill that makes harmful cuts to Medicaid, puts critical funding at risk, or threatens the stability of healthcare providers across CA-22,” Valado posted on his website.

The House version, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would kick nearly 11 million off health coverage in order to trim $840 billion from the budget over 10 years. The Senate plan makes $930 billion cuts over the same period and leaves nearly 12 million people uninsured.

“I support the reasonable provisions in H.R. 1 that protects Medicaid’s long-term viability and ensure the program continues to serve our most vulnerable, but I will not support a final bill that eliminates vital funding streams our hospitals rely on, including provider taxes and state directed payments, or any provisions that punish expansion states,” said Valdao on Saturday.

“President Trump was clear when he said to root out waste, fraud, and abuse without cutting Medicaid and I wholeheartedly agree. I urge my Senate colleagues to stick to the Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1 – otherwise, I will vote no.”

In Valadao’s district encompassing all or portions of Kern, Tulare and Kings counties, 67% of the residents rely on Medicaid or Medi-Cal.

In a June 24 letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Valadao and 15 other Republican House colleagues said the Senate changes to Medicaid went beyond the House version and “threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.”

“Protecting Medicaid is essential for the vulnerable constituents we were elected to represent,” said Valadao.

Up to 6,900 health care jobs would be lost in Valadao’s district if Medicaid spending is trimmed by $10-20 billion per year, according to the UC Berkeley Labor Center. Fresno County would lose between 3,700 and 7,300 jobs, the center said.

How can Valadao approve this bill?

Fresno Democrat Jim Costa noted in June the impact of the House version of the reconciliation bill:

• 456,532 people in the San Joaquin Valley on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care, including 133,709 children under 19 years old, and 22,577 seniors over age 65.
• 131,000 people would lose their food stamps/SNAP benefits.
• 25,000 people who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act would have their average premium go up by $1,870 per year – a 91% increase.

Valadao has not held any town halls to get feedback from his constituents. He cancelled a virtual town hall last month due to a conflict with a committee meeting. Two Democratic representatives – Jimmy Gómez of Los Angeles and Ro Khanna of Santa Clara – held town halls in Bakersfield.

We encourage Valadao to put his words into action and lobby on behalf of his constituents instead of President Donald Trump and Republican leaders.

We see nothing beautiful in either version of the reconciliation bill when it comes to Medicaid. Neither should Valadao.