Greg Kelley, President of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, issued the following statement upon the news that hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois could lose Medicaid coverage on October 1, 2026: 

“Medicaid cuts are cruel. They cause real pain for Illinois families that are already stretching every dollar to cover the basics like rent, groceries, gas, and care.

“As a union of healthcare workers, our members have a front row seat to how Medicaid is a lifeline for Illinois families. They care for people every day that rely on Medicaid for lifesaving care: cancer treatments for children, hospital stays for surgeries, long-term care for seniors and people with disabilities, and more. And many of our members rely on Medicaid themselves because they aren’t paid enough to afford healthcare. 

“Ripping healthcare away from working families forces people into impossible choices: Do I pay the rent or buy the heart medication I need? Do I go to the doctor or put groceries on the table? 

“These cruel changes have a ripple effect that hurts all of us. Hospitals are forced to cut staff and services – increasing wait times and decreasing quality of care for everyone. Wait lists for home care get longer. And the workers who hold our care system together are asked to do even more with fewer resources.

“Illinois leaders have a moral imperative to ensure everyone in Illinois has access to healthcare even as the federal government fails us. We’re calling on our state leaders to step up and fund essential healthcare services like home care and community safety net hospitals and pay frontline care workers living wages so there are enough workers to provide the care our communities need.”