Arizona Hospitals Face “Tough Choices” After Biggs and Schweikert Backed Partisan Budget

By voting for a partisan budget that stripped away healthcare funding and tax credits, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert directly caused 65,000 Arizonans to lose their coverage. These cuts have destabilized the state's healthcare system, threatening the survival of hospitals that rely on that funding. As a result, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association CEO Ann-Marie Alameddin warned of “very tough choices” that hospitals will face “in terms of balancing their budget.” 

The impact is already visible as premiums have surged 30 percent this year. Alameddin noted that as more residents lose insurance, they delay care until reaching the emergency room "sicker,” which compounds into higher costs and reactive, not preventative care. A report earlier this month found that eight Arizona hospitals are already facing heightened risk of closure or service reductions. 

Despite these real consequences, Biggs said the partisan budget was a “good thing” and argued for “the more cut approach,” which would threaten even more Arizonans to lose their healthcare and raise costs. Schweikert took credit for co-authoring the partisan budget law, and called Arizonans who are worried about Medicaid cuts “bedwetters” and told them to “toughen up.”

Copper State Victory spokesperson Nicholas Simões Machado said:

“Andy Biggs and David Schweikert already jacked up healthcare costs for Arizona families and caused 65,000 people to lose their coverage, which is also threatening to close hospitals across the state. They have proven they will always put Washington first and Arizona last, and we’re all paying the price.” 

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