ICYMI: One Year After Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” Rep. McBride Urges Investment in Sussex County Health Care, Not Cuts
WASHINGTON, DC — In case you missed it, U.S. Representative Sarah McBride (D-Del.) penned an op-ed in the Cape Gazette about the need to strengthen healthcare in Sussex County one year after President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" was signed into law. Read the full op-ed here.
The piece, titled "Care in Sussex County Needs Investment, Not Cuts," details how the "One Big Beautiful Bill" pushed healthcare out of reach for millions of Americans through the largest cut to Medicaid in American history and explains what those cuts mean for Delaware families.
“Across the country, fewer people have health insurance, hospitals and clinics are shutting down, and there’s growing concern about access to care, especially in rural communities,” wrote Rep. McBride. “For my neighbors across Sussex County, access to quality, affordable healthcare is about more than convenience – it's about the security and dignity that come from knowing the care you need will be there when you need it.”
Rep. McBride also highlighted how Sussex County's rapid population growth is placing additional strain on an already stretched rural healthcare system, from workforce shortages to long drives for specialty care.
"Trump and congressional Republicans’ 'Big Beautiful Bill' aims to cut as much as $4 billion in federal Medicaid funding to Delaware over the next decade. More than 30,000 Delawareans are projected to lose their Medicaid coverage, Marketplace enrollment in Delaware has already declined by 16%, and more than 18,000 of our neighbors have lost food assistance because of this heartless law. These aren’t just numbers — they are our parents, grandparents, coworkers, friends, and neighbors, all seeking the same thing: the chance to stay healthy, care for their families, and age with dignity,” continued Rep. McBride.
She also detailed how Delaware families are facing higher healthcare costs as a result of Trump's law, illustrating how federal policy decisions are affecting our communities here at home.
“Here in Sussex County, where providers are already working to keep pace with rapid growth and an aging population, residents are feeling the weight of cuts to Medicaid and federal healthcare funding,” wrote Rep. McBride. “They show up here at home – with longer wait times, fewer providers accepting patients, higher healthcare costs for all of us, and more strain on the hospitals and clinics our communities rely on.”
Rep. McBride emphasized her support for investing in rural healthcare and meeting the pressing needs of Sussex County residents. In Congress, she has brought together Democrats and Republicans to protect nearly $1 billion for home healthcare to keep seniors safe at home and support home health workers who make that care possible. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to address the national nursing shortage that’s impacting care in Delaware and across the country.
“We know what works: investing in rural hospitals, supporting our federally qualified health centers, strengthening the healthcare workforce, protecting Medicaid, expanding access to mental healthcare, and ensuring that where you live never determines whether you can get the care you need. We must never accept a status quo where ZIP codes serve as barriers to treatment,” wrote Rep. McBride.
Rep. McBride closed the piece with her commitment to the reality that every resident in Sussex County deserves: to be able to get care and be treated with dignity, no matter their zip code.
“No family should have to cross county lines to welcome a child into the world. No cancer patient should have to spend hours on the road for reliable, lifesaving care. And no one seeking mental healthcare should be forced to wait months for treatment. That is the future Sussex County deserves,” concluded Rep. McBride.
###