The CEOs of “every major health system in Louisiana” — Allegiance Health Management, LCMC Health, FMOL Health, La. Rural Hospital Coalition, Ochsner Health, Woman’s Hospital, and Louisiana Hospital Association — co-wrote a letter to oppose the current Senate version of President Trump’s domestic policy bill which proposes massive cuts to Medicaid.
The letter was sent to three Republican lawmakers representing Louisiana: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician who has also raised concerns about the cuts.
The healthcare leaders wrote of the bill: “These cuts would be historic in their devastation and warrant our shared advocacy to protect our patients and the care we provide them at our hospitals and clinics.”
Louisiana hospitals warn Mike Johnson of ‘devastation’ from megabill https://t.co/BwTawrqJaV
— POLITICO (@politico) June 28, 2025
“Cuts of the magnitude currently under discussion would adversely impact our collective ability to provide care, train the next generation of physicians, employ tens of thousands of people, and it would stifle the billions in economic impact we generate each year,” the group says in its letter.
“The impact of provisions in the United States Senate’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
reflects an estimated annual loss of more than $4 billion in total Medicaid funding for Louisiana healthcare providers.”
The letter ended: “We take no pleasure in having to speculate about the impact of these cuts. However, in light of the cuts being proposed, we must have honest conversations together, and with you – the communities we serve. Louisiana and our healthcare delivery system are at a crossroads. We face the largest cut to healthcare in our state’s history. Will our leaders in Washington choose to protect the health of our people, hospitals and economy? We are counting on them to do so.”
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that more than 10 million people across the country on Medicaid would lose coverage under the new legislation, in part due to controversial new work requirements.
Johnson, an advocate for the bill’s new work requirements, said on Tuesday: “If you’re going to be on the public wagon and you’re able, you should try to help pull it.”
He said of the 20-hour weekly work requirement, “Give me a break. They’re complaining about that. You either have to be working, you have to be looking for a job, in a job training program, or volunteering in your community. For heaven’s sake, do something constructive.”