IDAHO, USA -- As President Trump's spending bill lies in the hands of the Senate, concerned Idaho healthcare providers and organizations are calling on state senators to halt the proposed cuts to Medicaid.
"The largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in history," said Erin Riley, the outreach coordinator with Idaho Supports Medicaid.
The group Idaho Supports Medicaid, which includes healthcare providers and organizations, says the trillions of dollars in proposed cuts could mean Idaho's Medicaid funding is slashed by 11%.
"Idaho alone would face a projected $3.5 billion cut in federal Medicaid funding," said Hillarie Hagen, the senior policy associate with Idaho Supports Medicaid.
The insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans covers 360,000 Idahoans, with half of those people being children.
Hagen also says more than 30,000 of the state's most vulnerable could lose healthcare coverage completely if the cuts are passed, and an estimated 59 Idahoans could die every year due to reduced access to care.
One of Trump's budget bill's biggest sticking points is a work requirement for most recipients to stay eligible.
"Alarmingly, those who fail to meet the requirement will not only be disenrolled from Medicaid, but be barred from accessing marketplace coverage. In Idaho, this could mean 18,500 people losing coverage each year," said Hagen.
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson says the goal of the bill is to return the program to its original intent of helping those in need.
"No one's going to lose those things. If you qualify for the programs," said Rep. Simpson. "If you're here illegally, should you be getting Medicare or Medicaid? I don't think so. So yeah, some people like that will probably lose that benefit."
But Riley says the cuts will have negative effects on more than one population of people.
"No one should have to choose between feeding their kids or seeing a doctor. So we urge Idaho senators to protect the lifelines thousands of Idahoans depend on every day," said Riley.
KREM 2 reached out to Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and James Risch, and did not receive a response.