Voto Latino: Medicaid Cuts Endanger 26 Million Latinos — 72% of Latino Voters Sound the Alarm

WASHINGTON. D.C. — Voto Latino strongly opposes the proposal by Congressional Republicans to cut at least $715 billion from Medicaid as part of a reconciliation package aligned with President Trump’s $4.9 trillion tax break plan. If enacted, the cuts would endanger health care access for millions of Americans, disproportionately harming Latinos, who are among the largest beneficiaries of Medicaid and CHIP.

“This isn’t a budget — it’s a blueprint for abandoning America’s working families. Slashing Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires is a calculated decision that will deepen inequality and leave millions behind — especially in Latino communities that already face systemic barriers to care. This is about priorities. When families are struggling with access to healthcare and rising costs, we cannot afford to gut the very programs that keep communities afloat.

As the wealthiest nation in the world, our elected officials should be embarrassed to promote this massive redistribution of wealth. Put simply, this proposal is trickle-down economics on steroids—something the 1980s already taught us does not work. There is little beauty in the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill Act’—it’s dark, cruel, and irresponsible, dragging our country backward. That’s a choice.”

Latino Families on the Front Lines

Latinos make up nearly 28% of all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, despite comprising 19% of the U.S. population. That means roughly 26.8 million Latinos rely on these programs for critical health care services.

If enacted, President Trump’s proposed budget would:

• Jeopardize coverage for over half of Latino children:
  Medicaid and CHIP cover more than 50% of Latino kids, providing essential care like vaccines, check-ups, and early screenings.

• Undermine maternal health for Hispanic mothers:
  In 2021, 58.1% of births among Hispanic women were covered by Medicaid. Cutting these funds would reduce access to safe prenatal and childbirth care.

• Threaten reproductive health for Latina women:
  About 1 in 4 women of reproductive age rely on Medicaid for contraceptive and reproductive care. With 58% of Latina women in their reproductive years, preserving access to these services is essential.

• Worsen mental health disparities:
  Only 36.1% of Latino adults with mental illness currently receive care. Medicaid is a crucial pathway to mental health services.

• Exacerbate insurance gaps:
  17.9% of Latinos under 65 are uninsured—nearly triple the rate of White non-Hispanics. Cuts would push even more families into uninsurance.

States with the largest Latino populations will be impacted the most:

• California: 50% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

• New Mexico: 54% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

• Texas: 47% of Medicaid enrollees are Latino

Latino Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Medicaid Cuts

A strong majority of Latino voters — 72% — are concerned about President Trump’s proposed Medicaid cuts, according to Voto Latino’s latest national survey conducted with the Latino Community Foundation. The poll, which surveyed 1,000 Latino voters from the 2024 elections, found deep concern across the board, especially among low-income voters and younger Latino men — groups already hit hard by inflation and rising healthcare costs.

Voto Latino urges Congress to reject these harmful cuts and take immediate steps to codify long-term protections for Medicaid. Health care access should not be subject to political whims — it is a fundamental human right. Every person — regardless of income, background, or ZIP code — deserves access to affordable, quality care.

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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.