Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is one of a number of state financial officers still sounding the alarm about Medicaid funding cuts just approved as part of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

Frerichs — in a conference call with reporters Thursday — says at least nine rural hospitals could end up closing in Illinois, and there’s something else about that.

“Nine rural hospitals — in Dixon, Danville, Olney, Harrisburg, Hoopeston, Benton, Hardin County, Metropolis, and Robinson — are in danger of closing,” said Frerichs.  “These hospitals are in Republican areas.  Republicans are hurting Republicans.”

Frerichs says hospitals that stay open may have to cut staff or services, and all of it threatens to hurt the state’s economy.  He says people will have to drive further to get medical care, causing them to avoid preventative treatments.  Pregnant mothers, he says, will have to drive farther to give birth.

State employees will be hurt, too, Frerichs said, along with everyone else.

“If you have people showing up to hospitals, not paying their bills because they don’t have access to health care, they’re going to get sick.  They’re going to show up, and it’s going to be unreimbursed, uncompensated costs for hospitals,” said Frerichs.  “Those hospitals are going to pass that along to others — those with health insurance, those states that are negotiating group health insurance plans.  It has to be paid somehow, or these hospitals are going to go out of business.”

Frerichs said if you think the government is really going to save money, think again.  He called the possibility of any sort of fiscal responsibility “laughable.”

“If (Republicans are) really interested in fiscal responsibility, they wouldn’t be adding more than $3.4 trillion to the national debt,” said Frerichs.  “This is about cruelty.”

Fiscal officers from other states — at least two of whom claimed to be former math teachers — said none of the moves make sense.  Some accused the Trump administration and Republicans of purposely pushing out the cuts to past 2026 and the midterm elections.  One said the tax breaks contained for wealthier Americans in the bill are to blame — one saying it would allow the wealthy to “buy a boat for their yacht.”