West Virginians for Affordable Health Care (WVAHC), in partnership with the Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWVA), is pleased to announce three “Cuts & Consequences” Town Halls next month in Wheeling, Morgantown and Princeton to educate residents on the impending cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), potential hospital closures, and the impact on our communities.

“H.R 1 – also known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill” – is arguably the worst piece of health care legislation to come out of Washington,” said Ellen Allen, executive director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care. “The new law ushers in the biggest cuts to Medicaid in history and coupled with its cuts to the ACA, the budget reconciliation package threatens the health and financial security of West Virginians in every community. West Virginians deserve to know the truth about the cuts…and the consequences.”

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation package, into law – cutting $1.1 trillion from Medicaid and putting the health and lives of West Virginians on the line. The law slashes Medicaid, the ACA marketplaces, Medicare, and public health initiatives – programs that tens of thousands of West Virginians depend on every single day. With nearly one in three West Virginians relying on Medicaid, these cuts mean fewer families will qualify for coverage, benefits will shrink, and more rural hospitals will be pushed to the brink of closure. Seniors could see their out-of-pocket costs skyrocket because of cuts to Medicare, while working families face rising premiums as the ACA marketplace is undermined. Meanwhile, deep cuts to public health funding will cripple efforts to fight the opioid epidemic and weaken support for community health clinics – leaving the state’s most vulnerable residents with nowhere to turn.

At Catholic Charities West Virginia, we do not support legislation that deepens hardship or forces people living in poverty to make impossible choices between rent and groceries, medicine and heat,” said Mark Phillips, President & CEO of CCWVA. “We feel a deep responsibility to ensure that the concerns of everyday, working-class West Virginians are heard in this dialogue.

The “Cuts & Consequences” Town Hall Series will launch on Monday, September 15, at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling. The series continues Tuesday, September 16, at Hazel’s House of Hope in Morgantown, and will conclude on Wednesday September 17, at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton.

Each town hall will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will provide community members with the opportunity to engage in important discussions regarding the impacts of proposed cuts.

ABOUT YOUR TOWN HALL HOSTS

West Virginians for Affordable Health Care brings a consumer voice to public policy so that every West Virginian has quality, affordable health care and the opportunity to lead an informed, healthy, and productive life.

Catholic Charities West Virginia provides essential services to assist the poor and vulnerable in all 55 counties of
West Virginia addressing a wide range of needs — from food and emergency assistance to long-term case
management, behavioral health support, child and family services, and disaster response.