Housing, education, health care: How Trump’s budget bill affects Whatcom County
The “Big Beautiful Bill” is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk. Its effects will be felt across the nation — including in Whatcom County.
The massive bill is guided by spending requests from the White House. It will extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, while cutting billions of dollars in social program funding. It’s been described as the largest cut to social welfare programs since at least the 1990s, and according to some experts, the most severe in modern history.
The bill’s impact cuts across numerous aspects of everyday life for many residents, including health care and other federally-funded services. Here are a few examples of how it will impact Washington and Whatcom County.
Medicaid
One of the largest, controversial aspects of the bill is major funding cuts to Medicaid, which provides health insurance to low-income Americans. Medicaid is called Apple Health in Washington.
In Washington’s 2nd congressional district, which includes Whatcom County, 17% of residents over 20 and 48% of children are enrolled in Medicaid, according to state data. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said new work requirements under the bill will put more than 620,000 Washington residents at risk of losing their health insurance or having it delayed.
“In the end, every Republican who votes for this bill will have to explain to their constituents why they voted to shutter local hospitals and punish struggling families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires,” said Murray in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen wrote on Facebook that the legislation “takes health care and food away from working families to pay for a tax cut for the richest Americans and wealthiest corporations.”
“The people I represent in Northwest Washington state deserve better,” he said in the post.
Health and medical care
Cuts to Medicaid won’t only affect people enrolled in the program, experts say.
Cassie Saur, president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association, said that the bill will have “massive impacts to all Washingtonians’ access to care.”
In order to absorb the cuts to insurance, Saur said hospitals will be forced to lay off nurses and doctors, provide less services and potentially close entirely. Compensating for loss of Medicaid payments could also lead to higher costs for people on private insurance.
Medicare
Cuts to Medicare, which provides insurance to Americans age 65 and older, are estimated to total about $500 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office estimate.
About 1.4 million who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare would lose access to cost-sharing assistance. Programs that help pay Medicare premiums would also be cut.
Food stamps
About 1 million Washington residents receive SNAP benefits, including 11.4% of households in Whatcom County, according to census data. Of these households, almost 37% have children under 18 years old.
Under the new bill, these households will see a reduction in the amount of money they receive for food, and some risk being kicked out of the program entirely due to changing requirements.
Planned Parenthood
Another provision of the bill relates to the “defunding” of Planned Parenthood. The organization put out a statement following the House’s passage of the bill announcing plans to sue the Trump administration over the provision.
If the “defunding” occurs, Planned Parenthood said almost 200 locations in 24 states are at risk of closure. The bill specifically restricts Planned Parenthood from serving patients on Medicaid at locations that provide abortions — a service that Bellingham’s Planned Parenthood offers. This puts access to other services that the location provides, such as vaccinations, birth control, gender-affirming care and general wellness and preventative care at risk.
Housing
The Big Beautiful Bill will also eliminate Continuum of Care programs entirely. In the past, the program has given money to the Bellingham Housing Authority to provide housing assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
K-12 education
Whatcom County may also struggle with budget cuts from other avenues. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions, Trump’s proposed federal budget would pull over $100 million from Washington public school districts each year.
Cuts by district:
Bellingham – $995,869 total; $89 per student
Blaine – $89,552 total; $44 per student
Ferndale – $276,290 total; $59 per student
Lynden – $242,000
Meridian – $115,153 total; $62 per student
Mount Baker – $84,449 total; $53 per student
Nooksack Valley – $244,094 total; $125 per student
Data for Lummi Nation School District was not available.