U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), is urging health care providers nationwide to weigh in on a sweeping Republican-backed budget bill that proposes deep cuts to federal health care programs. The bill, which passed the House of Representatives and is now under consideration in the Senate, would reduce funding for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by more than $1 trillion and result in an estimated 16 million people losing their health insurance, according to Sanders' open letter to providers.

Calling the legislation a looming “national emergency” for health care in America, Sanders criticized the Republican-led process for moving forward without a single public hearing or committee markup. In a letter sent today to hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, clinicians, and other providers, Sanders invited feedback on how the legislation would impact patient care, provider operations, and the broader health care system.

“No doctor, nurse, hospital, community health center, or nursing home has been formally consulted to help explain to the American people what these proposed changes would actually mean,” Sanders wrote. “The HELP Committee needs to hear directly from the nation’s health care providers.”

The letter points to recent analyses suggesting the legislation’s impact would be severe. According to researchers at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, the bill’s provisions could lead to more than 51,000 preventable deaths annually. Sanders also warned the bill could force higher premiums on seniors, strip coverage from children and people with disabilities, and impose a “sick tax” of $35 on working families when they seek care.

Providers Asked to Submit Feedback by June 20

Providers are encouraged to respond to a series of questions regarding the bill’s impact on staffing, service delivery, administrative burdens, access to care, and the financial health of their organizations. Specific concerns include proposed Medicaid work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, administrative red tape, and changes to ACA subsidy structures.

The full letter and list of questions are available here. Health care professionals and organizations can submit responses to providerinput@help.senate.gov by June 20, 2025.

Sanders emphasized that, unlike the Affordable Care Act, which underwent extensive debate and committee review, this bill is being rushed forward with no meaningful input from the front lines of care.

“Congress has a solemn responsibility to the American people to understand the real-world impact of this legislation before it becomes law,” said Sanders. “We need to hear from those delivering care every day.”