Wyden, Sanders warn Republican healthcare cuts could lead to 51,000 deaths

The debate over the Republican-led budget reconciliation bill has intensified as two top Democrats, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, have made a bold claim that the proposal could lead to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans. According to their findings, an estimated 51,000 Americans could die each year due to changes in the federal healthcare system and the broader reconciliation bill.

Wyden emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that the stakes of the ‘big, beautiful bill’ debate are truly life and death. He pointed to a new analysis that predicts the dire consequences of the Republican reconciliation bill, particularly the expiration of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. Wyden warned that taking away health insurance and benefits from vulnerable populations could be deadly.

Sanders echoed Wyden’s sentiments, calling the Republican bill not just bad public policy, but also a death sentence for struggling Americans. He emphasized that the proposed cuts to Medicaid to fund tax breaks for billionaires would have devastating consequences, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of people.

The Democrats commissioned a study from the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and the Yale School of Public Health’s Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis. The study projected that millions of people would lose Medicaid or Obamacare coverage by 2034, resulting in significant mortality impacts.

According to the study, the loss of coverage could lead to 11,300 deaths from the loss of Medicaid or Obamacare coverage, 18,200 deaths among low-income Medicaid beneficiaries, and 13,000 deaths of Medicaid enrollees in nursing homes. Additionally, the failure to extend enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits could result in an additional 8,811 deaths per year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who led the ‘big, beautiful bill’ in the House, was reached out for comment but did not respond. The University of Pennsylvania confirmed that the analysis was conducted independently and provided to Wyden and Sanders in response to their request.

The Democrats’ claims have sparked a heated debate over the potential consequences of the Republican-led reconciliation bill. As the political battle continues, the fate of millions of Americans hangs in the balance, with both parties fiercely advocating for their positions on healthcare and the national budget.