Washington D.C. – As today kicks off Medicaid Awareness Month, U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ-7) would prefer to keep the public in the dark on the grave damage the Trump-GOP Big Ugly Law has done to the largest health insurance program in the country that provides health care for over 68 million Americans, including 1,483,606 New Jerseyans as of November 2025.
With the help of Rep. Kean, Donald Trump slashed $1 trillion from Medicaid to pay for another wasteful tax giveaway for billionaires and big corporations that never seems to trickle-down to working people. The consequences have touched nearly every household in New Jersey with many families now forced to choose between seeing a doctor, filling a prescription, and putting food on the table. Republicans are forcing rules which will choke millions of Americans in red tape designed to rip away their coverage, and imposed a sick tax on over 20 million low-income people nationwide who rely on Medicaid, hitting them with an average of $1,650 in new bills each year. Hospitals, nursing homes, and care facilities across New Jersey are cutting services and at risk of shutting down completely in the wake of these draconian cuts, driving up wait-times and costs and stranding entire communities without essential care.
“Rep. Tom Kean gave Donald Trump a permission slip to rob Medicaid to reward billionaires and big corporate donors with a trillion dollar tax break they didn’t need,” said Brad Woodhouse, President of Save My Care. “Now New Jersey is suffering under this raw deal with catastrophic losses of health coverage, hospitals on the brink of collapse, seniors worried sick over losing long-term nursing care, families choosing between food and treatment, and shortchanged local economies that lead to pink slips. You won’t hear Rep. Kean talk about any of the dire human costs of Republicans gutting health care because he has absolutely nothing to show for it other than an economy barreling towards recession.”
HOW NEW JERSEY IS IMPACTED BY THE HISTORIC TRUMP-GOP CUTS TO MEDICAID TO BANKROLL TAX BREAKS FOR BILLIONAIRES, BIG CORPORATIONS:
- In just four months, between July and November of 2025, 9,067 New Jerseyans lost their Medicaid coverage, contributing to the over 1.8 million person drop in Medicaid enrollment nationwide.
- Republicans are burying working New Jerseyans in red tape designed to rip away their Medicaid coverage, causing an estimated 173,000 New Jerseyans to lose health care coverage.
- Republican plans don’t stop here though, by 2034 thanks to the nearly $1 trillion cut from Medicaid, 211,600 additional New Jerseyans are expected to lose coverage, contributing to 7.5 million people losing Medicaid coverage nationwide.
- Local economies will also suffer under Republican cuts to Medicaid, with estimates suggesting that New Jersey will lose $196.4 million from their general fund over the next decade.
- With funding losses comes a deflated economy and without vital Medicaid funding New Jersey is likely to experience around 11,100 job losses in just the health care industry by 2029, amidst an already volatile employment market.
- New Jerseyans will be experiencing growing pressures on hospital systems throughout the state including $825,064,479 in hospital funding cuts. These hospitals provide some communities not only with lifelines in regards to health, but hold up local economies and employment markets.
○ AT RISK: Hudson Regional Health
○ AT RISK: University Hospital
○ AT RISK: Secaucus University Hospital
○ FACILITY CLOSED: Optum Healthcare – 85 offices
○ FACILITY CLOSED: Optum Healthcare Riverside Medical Group
○ HOSPITAL CLOSED: Heights University Hospital
In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) opened the door for states to expand Medicaid, and the results are clear: Medicaid expansion works. In addition to providing coverage for over 20 million people, Medicaid expansion has resulted in healthier people, communities, and economies. Study after study shows that Medicaid expansion increases access to care, improves financial security, and leads to better health outcomes for people with disabilities. Medicaid is now a crucial source of quality and affordable care for kids, seniors, and people with disabilities, paying for over half of all long-term care in the United States. Protecting access to Medicaid is essential for ensuring that New Jerseyans get the care they need.
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