This week, Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), and Gwen Moore (D-WI-4), alongside local elected officials, storytellers, and health advocates, joined Protect Our Care to kick off the fall by demanding accountability from Donald Trump and Republicans for slashing more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Virtual press events were held across California, Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin, giving Democratic lawmakers and health care advocates a chance to hear directly from Americans harmed by these cuts and lay out a path to restore coverage, lower costs, and fix what Republicans have broken.
ALASKA
Tuesday, September 22 – Anchorage Daily News Op-Ed by Nurse Shannon Davenport on the Need for Affordable Healthcare: Protect Our Care Alaska placed an opinion piece by long-time nurse Shannon Davenport, who warns that rising costs mean more patients are unable to afford their health care and are often forced to skip treatment or medication altogether. After the Trump administration made the biggest cuts to health care in history, voted for by Senator Dan Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich, federal data shows tens of thousands fewer Alaskans enrolled in Medicaid and Denali Kidcare than at the beginning of 2025. Each of these numbers represents real people — patients, neighbors, and communities. “And sooner or later, we have to ask ourselves: When did we start choosing money over people? Our healthcare policies should make it easier for Alaskans to get care before they reach a crisis,” said Shannon Davenport. “They should strengthen the hospitals and clinics our communities depend on. They should lower costs for families. And they should ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals have the resources necessary to care for the people who depend on us. You can read the full op-ed here.
- The Alaska Current: Alaskans will pay the price for Begich and Sullivan’s healthcare votes well after the election
ARIZONA
Monday, September 21 – District Report Release Event with Representative Greg Stanton, Local Officials and Health Care Advocates: Representative Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Arizona State Representative Nancy Gutierrez, former Special Assistant to President Biden for Health Care Jessica Schubel, Protect Our Care Arizona’s Morgan Finkelstein, and Phoenix father Steve Gomez joined Defend America Action for a press call on the growing health care crisis facing Arizona families and the local consequences of more than $1 trillion in Republican Medicaid and Affordable Care Act cuts. This call comes as Protect Our Care Arizona releases new reports on the impact in Congressional Districts AZ-02 and AZ-06, where families face higher costs, coverage losses, increased barriers, and reduced access to care. “Here in Arizona, where one in four people rely on AHCCCS, the state of Arizona’s Medicaid program, almost 200,000 Arizonans have already lost their coverage. That number is going to keep climbing with hundreds of thousands more projected to lose coverage in the years ahead,” said Representative Greg Stanton. “There’s a direct line between the Republicans’ action on the One Big, Beautiful Bill and people losing their health care or having massive increases in their health care costs.” You can read the post-event release here.
- Yellow Sheet Report: Arizona Democrats raise concerns over impending healthcare cuts
CALIFORNIA
Monday, September 21 – District Report Release Event with Congressman John Garamendi: Congressman John Garamendi joined Protect Our Care California to discuss a new report laying bare the damage being done across California and District 22 specifically after Republicans like Rep. David Valadao voted with Donald Trump to slash more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for lavish tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations. While the ultra-wealthy rake in even more, working families in CA are paying the price. For many Californians, getting care means traveling farther, waiting longer, paying more — or going without it altogether. “It’s now been over a year since Donald Trump, Republicans, and David Valadao passed their ‘Big Ugly Bill,’ and California is bearing the brunt,” said Congressman Garamendi. “I said over a year ago that this was the worst bill I’ve seen in my years of public service, and I still mean it. Nearly 302,000 people in my district who are covered by Medi-Cal are at risk of losing their health care. This includes 89,163 children and 30,000 seniors in my district.” You can read the post-event release here.
GEORGIA
Wednesday, September 23 – September Accountability/Patient Bill of Rights Event with Congressman Hank Johnson: Congressman Hank Johnson, Dr. Dhaval Desai and storytellers joined Protect Our Care Georgia to mark the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act’s Patients’ Bill of Rights and highlight the rising health care costs, coverage losses, and pressure on hospitals and providers affecting Georgia families. Speakers called on lawmakers to end the GOP health care crisis by restoring the ACA tax credits, reversing Medicaid cuts and lowering health care costs for working Georgia families. “Access to quality, affordable health care is a human right, not something only reserved for those who can afford it,” said Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04). “While we should be celebrating all of the achievements of the Affordable Care Act, we’re instead talking about Republicans tearing that progress down.” You can read the post-event release here.
NORTH CAROLINA
Tuesday, September 22 – NC Politics Now Op-Ed by Travel Nurse Kaitlyn McDaniel on the Need for Affordable Healthcare: Protect Our Care North Carolina placed an opinion piece by travel nurse Kaitlyn McDaniel, who warns that hospitals are becoming increasingly crowded, with more unable to afford their health care. After the Trump administration made the biggest cuts to health care in history, over 230,000 North Carolinians have lost Medicaid, CHIP or ACA coverage. Each of these numbers represent real people and families who are trying to stay safe and healthy. “If the closest maternity ward closes, a pregnant woman may have to travel much farther to deliver her baby,” McDaniel writes. “If a clinic shuts its doors, a patient may have to take time off work and drive hours for an appointment. If a hospital cuts a service, a medical emergency can become a race against distance and time.” You can read the full op-ed here.
WISCONSIN
Thursday, September 24 – District Accountability Event With Congresswoman Gwen Moore and Emergency Room Nurse Mitchell Berman: Congresswoman Gwen Moore, ER Nurse Mitchell Berman and 1st Congressional District residents impacted by healthcare choices in Washington, D.C. joined Protect Our Care and Main Street Action to discuss a new report laying bare the damage being done across Wisconsin after Congressman Bryan Steil voted with Donald Trump to slash more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for lavish tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations. “Bryan Steil made it more difficult for folks to be able to access affordable healthcare,” said emergency room nurse Mitchell Berman. “Even if you don’t get your care through Medicaid, even if you don’t buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange, this is going to affect you.” You can view the post-event release here.
