Las Vegas, NV – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) toured University Medical Center (UMC) facilities to discuss the impact the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and President Trump’s budget could have on UMC’s hospital operations and the thousands of patients across the Las Vegas Valley that rely on their services.
“Trumpcare is a dangerous proposal designed by Republicans to give tax breaks to the wealthiest by cutting $834 billion to Medicaid, a program that more than 600,000 Nevadans with limited resources rely on,” said Cortez Masto. “Combined with a further $627 billion cut to Medicaid from President Trump’s budget proposal, Nevada’s most vulnerable will suffer the most by the Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cuts to the National Institutes of Health under Trump’s budget will also affect the scientific research and training conducted at UMC, limiting their potential for scientific breakthroughs and ability to provide world-class healthcare. UMC sees thousands of patients everyday who have in some way benefited from the ACA and repealing it would result in hundreds of thousands of Nevadans losing their health care coverage. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to improve the Affordable Care Act and to protect Medicaid. Repealing the ACA and gutting Medicaid in order to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires is not the answer.”
“Funding for healthcare services and essential programs like Medicaid is critical for Nevadans who come to UMC for healthcare, and also for UMC to successfully operate and serve our patients with the highest quality care,” said Mason VanHouweling, UMC CEO. “I thank the senator for visiting UMC and seeing firsthand the importance of access to healthcare and how we are able to serve Nevadans every day.”
###