Health care access in the 3rd District

Editor:

The midterm elections will help determine access and affordability for health care in Colorado and the U.S. If you worry about your health care costs, voting for Dwayne Romero for this House race is critical. In 2025 Republicans, as requested by President Trump and supported by incumbent Jeff Hurd, passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) without any Democratic votes in the House or Senate. Here are the key provisions of the Act related to health care: 1. Medicaid: 10 million Americans will lose Medicaid health insurance over the next three years due to federal cuts (Congressional Budget Office/CBO report). 2. Affordable Care Act (ACA): 5 million Americans will have to drop their ACA health insurance during 2026-27 because of federal cuts to premium support (Kaiser Family Foundation/KFF report). 3. SNAP: At least 3.5 million Americans will lose their federal food support over the next eight years, including 700,000 children, due to $187 billion in cuts to the program (CBO report). Food insecurity is associated with chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Consequently, federal health care costs will increase due to worsening population health. 4. Rural hospitals are threatened, and many will have to close due to reduced federal Medicaid payments. President Trump has pledged federal money for rural hospitals over the next five years. Yet the money would be far less useful than the proposed cuts, and receiving those funds is complicated and uncertain. Most of us are aware of how difficult affording health care is for Americans, now caused in large part because incumbent Jeff Hurd does not seem to understand or care. He voted for the OBBBA last year, but now, during election season, expresses concern about the affordability of U.S. health care. His website lists his speeches delivered to Congress since his election in 2024. Not one is focused on health care. What further damage may ensue if he is re-elected. What will Mr. Romero do. He will fight to repeal the OBBBA to prevent cuts to Medicaid, the ACA and SNAP. He will support legislation to sustain rural hospitals. He will provide access for women for all necessary health care. Please compare the health care policies of Mr. Romero and Mr. Hurd. If you are concerned about U.S. health care, support Mr. Romero in this election. Mr. Hurd’s actions speak much louder than his words. Mr. Romero’s actions in defending health care will be loud indeed.