A nonpartisan online conversation about healthcare in the upcoming midterm election
Healthcare affects every family, every community, every business, and every generation.
The Healthcare Forum was created because our nation is approaching one of the most significant periods of healthcare change in decades. The people elected in November 2026 will help determine how those changes are implemented and whether modifications are made to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare. That is why this election matters. This is the most important election ever in the history of this nation. It is estimated that over 175 million will vote in this midterm-election. It is up to you, the voter, to choose who you want for Congress and the Senate. Voters should carefully consider the character and temperament of the people they elect. They should look for representatives who are not devoted to one individual or one political party, but who possess the judgment and willingness to work with others when compromise is necessary in the public interest.
What kind of cuts are slated to begin in 2027?
The new paperwork and reporting requirements will cause many eligible people to lose coverage—not because they are ineligible, but because they miss deadlines, cannot complete the paperwork, or have difficulty navigating the system.
Hospitals, especially safety-net and rural hospitals, will end up treating more uninsured patients, increasing uncompensated care. The numbers: Sweeping federal Medicaid rollbacks, such as those in the "One Big Beautiful Bill," are heavily straining Nevada’s healthcare infrastructure currently. These cuts threaten to offload up to $2.5 billion in uncompensated care costs onto Nevada hospitals by forcing tens of thousands of Nevadans off coverage, increasing emergency room burdens, and forcing facilities to absorb the costs of unreimbursed care. In addition, it is expected to raise insurance premiums by 20-25%.
The bottom line is this ... Slowing the growth of Medicaid spending helps reduce federal spending and makes extending tax cuts more economically feasible.
What are the two pending pieces of legislation?
Protecting Americans’ Health Care Act and Big Medicine Act
What are some of the challenges we face?
The changes to Medicare as it relates to seniors
The Affordable Care Act and the lack of subsidies
The affordability of health insurance
Hospital funding
Rural healthcare
Prescription drug costs
Workforce shortages
Long-term care
Veterans' healthcare
Preventive care
Homelessness as a consequence
The consequences to seniors
The economic effects of healthcare on our economy
For many Americans, these changes are not abstract. They may determine whether families keep their health coverage, whether hospitals face increasing uncompensated care costs, and whether patients delay seeking medical care because they fear they cannot afford it.
As a hospital chaplain, I have seen the consequences of delayed medical care. Sometimes those consequences cannot be reversed.
That is why The Healthcare Forum exists—to bring together patients, healthcare professionals, caregivers, business leaders, policymakers, and members of the public to better understand these changes, discuss practical solutions, and help ensure voters are informed before they cast their ballots. Healthcare Forum is an ongoing online discussion hosted by Steven St John, hospital chaplain.
Use the form below if you would like to attend, serve as a panelist, share your healthcare story, submit a question, or receive updates about upcoming online discussions.
For questions about The Healthcare Forum, email:
chaplainforcongress@gmail.com