Washington Governor Bob Ferguson posted a video to the social media platform X that features him promising to protect Apple Health coverage for as many residents as possible as major changes to Medicaid begin taking effect under HR 1.
Ferguson made the comments while announcing a new executive order aimed at mitigating the federal law’s effects in Washington, where nearly 2 million people currently receive coverage through Apple Health. His criticism quickly drew online pushback, however, as commenters questioned government spending, eligibility, and whether Washington’s own policies deserve some of the blame.
For context, HR 1 was signed into law as the Reconciliation (better known as the One Big bEautiful Bill Act) on July 2025. It is a major federal tax and spending package that implements budget cuts and pulicy changes across healthcare, public assistance, and taxes.
You can hear him tell the audience, “The federal government’s changes are all designed for one purpose. It is thinly veiled to kick people off Medicaid. To make the system as difficult as possible to navigate.”
Ferguson’s statements direct several state agencies to find ways to maintain healthcare coverage and reduce the number of people who lose it as the requirements take effect. His office estimates that completely replacing federal funding affected by HR 1 would cost Washington approximately $3.2 billion every two years.
Washington officials are nevetheless expecting substantial disruption from the federal changes. The state’s Health Care Authority says hundreds of thousands of eligible Washington residents could be affected by changes to eligibility, verification, renewal, and cost-sharing. However, exactly how many people ultimately lose coverage will depend on individual circumstances and implementation.
Comments and Reactions to Washington Governor’s Medicaid Warning
Ferguson wrote in the caption to the post itself, “It’s morally bankrupt what Congress and President Trump did to kick people off Medicaid. What we have to do is get to work — we’re saving Apple Health coverage for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians.”
However, a different commenter makes the argument, “The moral bankruptcy occurs when the government steals our hard earned money to give it to people that don’t need it. Get a job.“
Immigration also dominated many responses, with several commenters arguing that taxpayer-funded healthcare shouldn’t cover people without legal immigration status. Washington’s Apple Health Expansion provides state-funded coverage to qualifying adults regardless of immigration status. Still, it is a separate, enrollment-capped program for people who cannot qualify for other Apple Health programs because of their immigration status.
As the conversation continues to gain traction online, more and more people are leaving their opinions and frustrations behind in the comments section.
