Rally in East Hollywood decries Republican proposal to cut Medicaid

EAST HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In East Hollywood Wednesday morning, more than 40 community health centers rallied to protect Medicaid and demand the preservation of Medi-Cal.

Community health centers serve 1 in 5 Californians.

"We're going to lose something like 10 to 20 billion dollars in revenue every single year to support the work that we're doing. This is massive. It will be devastating," said Martha Santa-Chin, CEO of LA Care Health Plan.

"As community clinics, as rural hospitals, as hospitals that depend on Medicaid. We will not be able to see our patients. Less doctors, less nurses and less health for our communities," said Ilan Shapiro, AltaMed's chief health correspondent.

But, the $4.5 trillion tax cut Republicans approved needs to be paid for. Democrats say the cost saving will come from $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid.

"Republicans want the cuts, but they don't want the political consequences that are going to be associated with the cuts. And we are saying, you can't have your cake and eat it too, and please be honest to the American people," said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove.

President Trump has called the legislation "one big beautiful bill" that will allow Congress to enact his agenda, but it may not have the votes.

Southern California Democrats and health care groups joined Tuesday's "Medicaid Day of Action" rallies, encouraging voters to tell congressional Republicans to reject Medicaid funding cuts.

"I am absolutely confident we're going to be able to work out a compromise everybody can live with," said House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Republicans say they're rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse to generate savings, but Democrats are warning roughly 10 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage.

"They're literally robbing the poor to get to the rich," said Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez.