The U.S. healthcare system faces a critical situation, with Republican political strategies now posing a risk of dismantling it.
Last summer, all but worked with the Trump administration to implement the a law that removes healthcare funding for working families, concurrently providing tax benefits for billionaires. This motivated my testimony at a hearing organized by House Democrats in Washington, D.C., where I voiced opposition to this politically charged legislation, asserting it will intensify the existing challenges within every aspect of our healthcare infrastructure.
As an emergency doctor in Oregon, affiliated with Northwest Medicine United, AFT Local 6552, I have had the honor of assisting my community for over ten years. Emergency room doctors provide care to any individual requiring it, irrespective of their insurance coverage or financial capacity.
While the emergency room is frequently termed the frontline of healthcare, I find it more precise to describe it as the epicenter. When there are significant changes in healthcare policies, we experience every impact and subsequent repercussion. We observe these consequences firsthand on our patients, their relatives, primary care physicians, and medical professionals across all specialties.
For a long time, professionals in emergency medicine have been issuing warnings. The country is experiencing widespread nurse shortages, a decrease in the number of primary care providers, overcrowded hospitals, and consistently growing wait times in emergency rooms. The COVID pandemic exacerbated these issues, swamping hospitals with an unprecedented volume of sicker patients. The healthcare system has not completely bounced back. Patients continue to be treated in corridors and endure waits of several hours or even days for admission. What is depicted on the is precisely what emergency room physicians and patients encounter daily.
Currently, my apprehension for our patients’ future is greater than ever. The Republican tax legislation that impacts healthcare affordability. If Congress does not intervene, including small-business proprietors and working households, face the possibility of losing their health insurance by 2034. will witness their more than double.
Due to the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” households will be forced to decide between affording insurance and covering essential expenses like groceries or rent. Our acquaintances, relatives, and community members will be compelled to postpone medical attention, opt out of doctor visits, or skip prescribed medications due to financial constraints. Individuals will consequently seek medical help at a later stage, become sicker, and regrettably, endure suffering or perish needlessly.
These consequences will extend beyond Medicaid recipients to include individuals with private insurance or Medicare. The Republican Party holds power in both the White House and Congress. Its budgetary reductions are already leading to, particularly in remote regions. Should this occur, even U.S. citizens fortunate enough to retain insurance will be compelled to travel greater distances for medical treatment—additional travel that can determine the outcome between a complete, autonomous recovery and being confined to bed or even succumbing in urgent situations such as strokes or heart attacks. Patients lacking primary care access or insurance will rely on emergency rooms for their medical needs, which will exacerbate overcrowding and extend wait times.
Postponements in medical treatment will elevate manageable conditions to life-threatening statuses in both Republican and Democratic-leaning communities; health crises are indiscriminate of political alignment.
These budget reductions are not merely superficial; they are deeply detrimental. However, an alternative path exists. Our requirements are straightforward: we need to safeguard and broaden healthcare coverage, allocate resources for adequate staffing, and finance local hospitals to ensure medical services are accessible within communities.
The assessment is unequivocal: The healthcare system is severely compromised. As an emergency physician, I am committed to exhaust every effort to act appropriately for a patient in dire need. Congressional Republicans ought to demonstrate a similar resolve. They are obligated to terminate this government shutdown and collaborate with Democrats to address the issue and guarantee ongoing healthcare for the American populace. Should they choose to abandon healthcare support, the repercussions will be felt by everyone.
