WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today highlighted new findings that show President Trump’s and Republicans’ reconciliation bill puts 579 nursing homes across the country at risk of closure. Based on this data compiled by Brown University’s School of Public Health, and released by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act endangers the operations of 93 nursing homes in Illinois—all in order to provide hefty tax breaks for billionaires. The devastating cuts to nursing homes under this Republican legislation are in addition to the bill forcing 16 million Americans to lose their health insurance coverage, which also risks the closure of rural and safety net hospitals nationwide.
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“President Trump and congressional Republicans are pursuing legislation that rips health care coverage from 16 million Americans and slashes $800 billion in Medicaid funding in order to serve up a sizeable tax cut for billionaires. As a result, 93 nursing homes in Illinois will be at risk of closing. It is unconscionable that Republicans would prioritize enriching the wealthy over ensuring the safe care and treatment of seniors and adults with disabilities,” said Durbin. “Four Republicans Senators with the courage to stand up for their constituents is all it takes to stop this big, beautiful betrayal.”
“Donald Trump and Republicans are trying to sell out those most in need to fund a tax cut for billionaires,” Duckworth said. “That’s not just fiscally irresponsible, it’s morally wrong. If this so-called Big Beautiful Bill passes, nearly 100 nursing homes across our state will be at risk of closing. And it won’t just be Medicaid recipients and those most in need who are hurt by these extreme Republican cuts. When health facilities close, that means whole communities—even privately insured Illinoisans—lose access too.”
Both red and blue states stand to lose if Republicans’ push through their deeply damaging legislation. Under their plan, 39 nursing homes in Missouri are at high-risk of closing while Ohio and Texas could lose 41 and 66 nursing homes, respectively.
According to the American Council on Aging, the average annual cost of a nursing home in Illinois is $94,900, which is not feasible for many Illinoisans to pay without assistance. Despite Medicaid covering 63 percent of residents in nursing homes and the high price of care, Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid funding by $800 billion endangers the ability of thousands of Americans, many of whom are seniors or people with disabilities, to access the care they need.
While states are required to provide nursing home care under Medicaid, states are not required to offer home and community-based service waiver programs that allow Americans to receive in-home or nearby care. If passed, the Republicans’ plan could threaten home and community-based service waiver programs, increasing demand for already strained nursing homes.
