President Donald Trump’s budget bill cuts Medicaid by $1 trillion, but most won’t feel effects until after the 2026 midterms.
Dozens of public sector workers and union members from across the Harrisburg area gathered at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) conference center on Tuesday to hold US House Rep. Scott Perry (R-York) accountable for supporting President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act.
“ Scott Perry was elected as our congressman. He should be protecting us, not screwing us,” Glen Dunbar, a retired Pennsylvania Department of Aging employee, said during the conference. “I’m especially disappointed in Scott Perry because he should know better.”
Dunbar, who originally voted for the congressman at one point, felt like he had the wool pulled over his eyes by Perry and the rags to riches story he shared to get elected.
“ I voted for him because he told this story about how he grew up poor in Harrisburg and how his grandparents were immigrants from Columbia and how his mother received public assistance to take care of the family,” Dunbar recalled.
”[Perry] climbed up the ladder out of poverty, … but [he] pulled up the ladder behind him and [he] forgot where he came from, and for that, he needs to be held accountable.”
During his remarks, Dunbar shared how he is the sole caregiver for his disabled son who relies on Medicaid. He fears that his son will be one of the many Pennsylvanians unable to keep health care coverage.
Trump’s budget cuts include a $1 trillion cut to Medicaid over the next 10 years. It is estimated that 310,000 Pennsylvanians will lose their health care access.
An additional 200,000 Pennsylvanians are expected to lose their coverage through Pennie, the state’s health care marketplace, because of changes made in the bill and the Republican Party’s failure to extend tax that keeps premiums down for individual customers.
“ I love him dearly, but I can’t take care of him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I tried that for a while. It didn’t work. I need the kinds of services that his Medicaid waiver provides,” he added.
Susan Bosco, a commonwealth employee with the Medical Assistance Program, explained that she loves her job with the state, where she helps families and mothers with newborns access the care they need. However, she wonders if those services will be around by the time the cuts go into effect after the 2026 midterm elections.
“ When a newborn baby goes in for their wellness visits, it’s because they have medical assistance. They’re registered, they have the proper plan, they’re good to go. When skilled nursing facilities need to provide care for our elderly, it’s there,” Bosco said.
“This big ugly bill is causing so much trouble, but it won’t come all at once. And so perhaps after the 2026 elections, then more will kick in. More pain and suffering and exclusion will kick in. It’s just incredibly evil.”
