Sen. Durbin Highlights Medicaid Cuts, Small Business Struggles

August 19, 2026 - 01:06

Senator Dick Durbin took his concerns directly to Illinois residents this week, using a series of stops across the state to spotlight two issues he says are squeezing working families: proposed cuts to Medicaid and the rising cost of keeping a small business open. Speaking at a community center in Rockford and later at a family-owned hardware store in Decatur, the senator argued that federal budget proposals targeting healthcare funding would land hardest on rural counties and older residents who rely on the program for nursing home care or basic doctor visits.

"People talk about the deficit in the abstract, but these cuts have a name and an address," Durbin said. He pointed to a local bakery owner who told him that her monthly insurance premium jumped by 40 percent in the last year, forcing her to delay replacing a broken oven. The senator linked that struggle directly to the broader debate in Washington, where some lawmakers have pushed for stricter work requirements and lower federal matching rates for Medicaid expansion.

Durbin also took aim at what he called "hidden taxes" on Main Street, including late fees from suppliers and the cost of complying with new digital reporting rules. He promised to push for a small business tax credit that would cover up to 15 percent of healthcare costs for firms with fewer than 25 employees. The tour ends Friday with a roundtable in Springfield, where Durbin says he will collect more stories to bring back to the Senate floor.