Why government shutdown, fight over Obamacare and Medicaid matters for Black Americans

“Trump and Republicans in Congress want to leave Black families uninsured or burden them with more expensive bills, all so that billionaires and corporations can get a tax break,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The federal government is close to a shutdown amid a political battle between Democrats and Republicans over health care in America—and Black Americans stand to suffer as a result.

TheGrio was at the White House on Monday as President Donald Trump hosted congressional leaders from both parties, along with Vice President JD Vance and White House Office of Budget and Management Director Russell Vought, as the leaders attempted to negotiate a deal to avert the shutdown, which could leave millions of federal workers without pay, or worse, fired.

But the high-stakes meeting ended with no sign of progress.

“It was a frank and direct discussion with the president of the United States and Republican leaders, but significant and meaningful differences remain,” said U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, following Monday’s meeting.

“Democrats are fighting to protect the health care of the American people, and we are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans. Period. Full stop.”

What is causing the government shutdown?

At the heart of Democrats’ clash with the White House and Republicans is their demand to extend health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which were established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats say extending the subsidies is critical for millions of Americans who will not be able to afford the soon-to-be skyrocketing health care premiums.

Democrats are also fighting to restore hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts in Trump’s Republican-backed “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” a tax and spending law that made historic cuts to SNAP in an effort to pay for $3.8 trillion in tax cuts that experts say primarily benefit wealthy Americans.

Jeffries described the cuts as a “health care crisis” created by Republicans that will result in millions of Americans being uninsured, and the closing of hospitals, nursing homes, and community-based health clinics. The Democratic congressman said it will hit communities “all across the country.”

“That’s why we believe there is urgency to both keeping the government open, reaching a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety, their economic well-being and quality of life,” said Jeffries.

Restoring the health care spending has, so far, been a non-starter for Trump and Republicans, who say the funding is being used to provide health care for undocumented immigrants. However, federal law already prohibits non-citizens from the health care public marketplace.

If Democrats and Republicans do not reach a deal, the federal government will partially shut down at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

What happens if the government shuts down?

If there is a shutdown, the federal government will run out of money and, therefore, furlough many workers in various federal agencies, be unable to pay some workers, and provide public services. Essential workers, such as those in air traffic control, would have to work without pay. However, safety net programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare would not be impacted.

Black Americans stand to suffer disproportionately if there is a shutdown, as their share of the federal workforce is higher than their representation of the total population. Not to mention, Black federal workers have already taken a hit after the Trump administration’s mass layoffs and firings.

The Black unemployment rate has sharply increased in recent months, reaching 7.5%. Black women have especially seen a surge in job losses, which has been attributed to President Trump’s purging of the federal workforce. What’s more, the Trump administration indicated that if a shutdown occurs, it will move forward with more firings in the federal workforce.

President Trump saw two federal shutdowns during his first term in office. U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, recalled a shutdown that lasted between December 2018 and January 2019–the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

“They held hundreds of thousands of federal workers hostage, including over 100,000 Black Americans to fund a border wall the public didn’t want,” said Clarke during a Tuesday press conference on Capitol Hill. “One in five federal workers is Black, and many were furloughed or forced to work without pay. Our Communities paid the price.”

How will health care impact Black Americans?

A government shutdown would also mean that cuts to ACA subsidies and Medicaid would remain, leaving Black Americans disproportionately impacted.

“Trump and Republicans’ health care cuts will devastate hundreds of thousands of Black Americans in every single state across the country,” Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told theGrio.

The former Biden official continued, “Families everywhere will start seeing the effects as soon as this November, when open enrollment begins, if Congress does not roll back Medicaid cuts and extend the tax credits that lower costs for health care under the Affordable Care Act. People will either lose their health coverage completely due to the Medicaid cuts or see their monthly premiums drastically increase.”

Brooks-LaSure said “taking away” health care is a “severe attack on civil rights.”

“Trump and Republicans in Congress want to leave Black families uninsured or burden them with more expensive bills, all so that billionaires and corporations can get a tax break. This is unacceptable,” she added.

Cuts to health care are a “red line” for the Congressional Black Caucus, said Congresswoman Clarke.

“Once again, Black communities will be hit the hardest. One in five Medicaid enrollees are Black. The cuts aren’t just numbers on a page. They are life and death decisions for families already struggling to access affordable, quality care,” said Clarke.

The congresswoman added, “And as if that weren’t enough, critical medical research is being gutted, halting progress on diseases that disproportionately impact Black Americans like heart disease, diabetes, and maternal health complications.”

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who is chair of the CBC Health Braintrust, slammed Republicans for leaving town without working out a bipartisan deal with Democrats.

“Republicans are in charge of the White House, the Senate, and the House — yet they are nowhere to be seen in DC to prevent a government shutdown and lower healthcare costs. I’m here fighting for my constituents and Americans who will experience skyrocketing healthcare costs due to Republican inaction,” Kelly told theGrio.

She added, “In the middle of two public health crises that affect Black Americans the most — maternal mortality and gun violence — President Trump and his Republicans gutted healthcare and gun violence prevention programs. Without healthcare, Americans will die — and we know Black Americans will suffer the most.”