By KFF Health News Stephanie Armour
Doctors, hospitals, and health insurers for weeks issued dire warnings to Republican lawmakers that millions of people would lose health coverage and hospitals would close if they cut Medicaid funding to help pay for President Donald Trump鈥檚 big tax and spending bill.
But Republicans ignored those pleas, made even deeper cuts, and sent the legislation on July 3 to the White House, where Trump signed it the next day.
The law鈥檚 passage marked a rare political loss for some of the health industry鈥檚 biggest players. When unified, doctors, hospitals, and insurers have stood among the most powerful lobbying forces in Washington and have a long track record of blocking or forcing changes to legislation that could hurt them financially.
But health industry lobbyists are catching their breath and assessing the damage after Trump鈥檚 massive bill raced through Congress in less than two months with only Republican votes.
Several lobbyists offered various reasons for being unable to stave off big cuts to Medicaid, a $9