by Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury
June 20, 2025

Virginia’s hospitals are monitoring congressional budget proposals with concern. 

While the recently-passed U.S. House of Representatives’ version of the President Donald Trump-backed “big beautiful bill” retained federal mapping that preserves Medicaid access in Virginia, a new draft in the U.S. Senate could alter two critical funding mechanisms that support Virginia’s hospitals and their ability to bolster the state’s expanded Medicaid program. 

The Senate proposal could change provider assessment rates and state-directed payment programs. The two funding mechanisms are critical to hospital operation in Virginia and how they chip into the expansion of Virginia’s Medicaid program.

Ultimately, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association estimates each program could take a $2 billion hit,  if the proposal is fully implemented. 

“If you are taking policy actions that impact Medicaid, that is going to impact providers’ stability, access to care for patients and could destabilize hospitals or even lead to closures,” said Julian Walker, vice president of communications with the association. 

Provider assessment rates are essentially a type of tax that hospitals use to help cover the state’s share of Medicaid costs, allowing them to draw down additional federal matching funds. Changing that rate would also change how much money hospitals can tap into for themselves, and to feed into the state’s Medicaid expansion. 

Medicaid is a large federal program that helps states provide health insurance to their low-income or disabled residents. In 2018, when Virginia expanded its Medicaid program to make more people eligible, Virginia’s hospitals footed some of the bill for it. Walker emphasized that the two funding tracks the Senate bill is exploring are interconnected when it comes to supporting hospitals and Medicaid in Virginia. 

More than the potential for people to lose their health insurance,  Democratic U.S. Senate leadership has stressed how rural hospitals could suffer. 

“Enacting these drastic health care cuts that will kick millions of people off their health insurance coverage, rural hospitals will not get paid for the services they are required by law to provide to patients,” wrote Sens. Edward Markey, Ron Wyden, Jeffrey Merkley, and Chuck Schumer in a letter to Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 

“In turn, rural hospitals will face deeper financial strain that could lead to negative health outcomes for the communities they serve,” they added. 

The  cuts federal lawmakers are exploring are part of a Trump-led effort to extend certain tax cuts and trim the federal deficit, while boosting federal spending on defense and border security. Legislators have explored cutting several federal social aid programs or incentive packages to achieve these goals. Medicaid in particular has appeared to be a potential target, as it’s one of the largest sources of federal spending to states.

While Republicans, which currently control both chambers of congress, have largely been on board with Trump’s plans, some like Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, have expressed caution as lawmakers continue to workshop the proposals. 

Walker, with the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, also said hospitals in rural areas could see a domino effect of problems if the Senate version progresses as-is.  Rural hospitals are often a key local employer, Walker explained, and they also often serve sizable portions of Medicaid patients. 

In the meantime, he said that Virginia’s hospitals are engaging with lawmakers in D.C. about the issue.

The Mercury reached out to U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine’s office for comment but didn’t hear back by press time.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Senate draft of ‘big, beautiful bill’ could cut funds for Virginia hospitals, also affect Medicaid appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents information with a focus on the potential negative impacts of proposed Medicaid funding cuts, emphasizing concerns from hospitals and Democratic lawmakers. It highlights the risks to healthcare access, especially in rural areas, and frames the Senate Republican-led budget changes as harmful to vulnerable populations. While it acknowledges Republican efforts and internal GOP debate, the tone and sources—such as Democratic senators and healthcare advocates—reflect a perspective sympathetic to protecting Medicaid and social services, which aligns with a center-left stance without overt partisan rhetoric.

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by Shannon Heckt, Virginia Mercury
June 19, 2025

With summer officially kicking off on Friday, elected officials and worker advocates are pushing for more state legislation aimed to support people who have to work outside in the hot temperatures.

When a person’s body can’t bring their internal temperature down in these warm climates, it can lead to heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Heat stress is the leading cause of weather-related deaths and can exacerbate underlying illnesses including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health, and asthma, and can increase the risk of accidents and transmission of some infectious diseases, according to the World Health Organization.

“This is an urgent issue because this affects mainly low wage workers who often don’t have a choice but to go to work … under these extreme heat conditions to be able to make a living,” said Ramón Zepeda Ramos, Economic Justice Organizer of Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

Currently, there are no federal rules or statewide regulations of when outside workers should be allowed breaks or access to shade and water when temperatures rise. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is beginning public hearings about a rule proposed by former President Joe Biden’s administration that would trigger shade and water access requirements when the heat index reaches 80 degrees. Additionally, it would require 15 minute breaks every two hours when the heat index reaches 90 degrees.

Advocates said even with the OSHA hearing starting this week, the state needs to take action because OSHA can often take years to implement a rule and there is no clear idea if the current administration would implement such a rule. Also, with federal cuts likely to impact the agency, advocates feel it will be unlikely the rule will be put into effect even if it is passed.

“We can’t keep waiting for federal action that may never come. Every worker deserves dignity of safety, access to water, rest, and shade. Also the ability to speak up without fear,” said Manuel Gago, Worker Justice Program Director at the Legal Aid Justice Center.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, since May 1 of this year, over 400 people have been treated for heat-related illness. Heat impacts can often be difficult to identify so it is likely the true scope of patients with heat-related illnesses is underreported.

Two bills were introduced in the 2025 General Assembly session that looked to provide relief to workers who have to be exposed to the elements. House Bill 1980 and Senate Bill 1103, sponsored by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, and Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Norfolk, would have allowed workers impacted by the heat to collect damages of $1000, injunctive relief or both. Both bills were left in the Senate Finance Committee.

“It is a simple strategy that has worked for thousands of years across all of nature,”  Hernandez said in a statement. “Our approach to protecting workers is a novel, data driven approach that examines where workers in Virginia are facing the most risk and tailoring the rules to address those areas.”

The New York Times reported that in a Congressional hearing this week, opponents to the new rule claimed it could cause financial havoc on businesses and communities. Seven states have adopted their own heat protection rules for indoor and outdoor workers.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.

The post Virginia advocates, officials push for worker protections from heat appeared first on virginiamercury.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning

This article presents a sympathetic portrayal of worker advocates and Democratic lawmakers calling for heat protection legislation, while emphasizing the urgency of protecting low-wage outdoor laborers. It highlights concerns over the slow pace of federal action and casts doubt on whether the current administration will implement OSHA’s proposed rule. Although it notes opposition to the rules, the framing overwhelmingly favors the perspective of labor rights advocates. The tone and focus on environmental justice, workers’ rights, and criticism of regulatory delays align with a progressive policy outlook, reflecting a Left-Leaning bias overall.