ROCKFORD, Ill (WREX) – On Wednesday, October 15th, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) made a campaign visit to tour River Bluff Nursing Home, hearing from the facility first hand discussing current or anticipated impacts that the Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act could impose to the healthcare of Illinoisans. An impact the congressman believes could be negative.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi shared one of the anticipated concerns from River Bluff’s Administrator Laura Schaefer, is the impact on long term care and the pay coverage for the processing timeline.

"When you cut eligibility for Medicaid, you’re essentially, in my opinion, you’re harming the overall health care industry and long term care industry, because they have connections with each other." explains the congressman. 

He went on to share he believes changes to Medicaid will be felt widespread, "If a hospital closes, it’s closing in an area for everybody, even people on private pay, and then the local economy also spirals in our layoffs, and that hurts other businesses."

Claiming the impact will not only be felt with Medicaid, but by increased health insurance costs, " In part because those Medicaid recipients who would otherwise have Medicaid are now going to the emergency room, and that’s going to spike everyone’s health insurance premiums. On top of that, Obamacare premium tax credits are going to be expiring this year, and once that happens, a whole new cohort of uninsured people are going to, unfortunately, come to our emergency rooms, again, spiking all of our health insurance."

Congressman Krishnamoorthi shared an increase in health insurance costs could impact long term medical care and caregivers. The congressman went on to express support for an extension to the premium tax credits, after voicing concern for a potential growth of people’s reliance on public health insurance and the expenses that it could result in.