Dan Sullivan on Health Care: Medicaid Cuts, Rural Hospitals and Alaska Insurance Costs
Dan Sullivan cast one of the 50 Senate votes for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025, a law under which Alaska's health department projects 9,452 to 13,611 Alaskans will lose Medicaid coverage because of work requirements. The day before, he voted against motions to strike the bill's Medicaid cuts, protect rural hospitals, nursing homes and maternity care, and extend the enhanced premium tax credits.
In January 2026 he voted against taking up a resolution to overturn a Trump administration marketplace rule, and he voted to confirm Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Medicare and Medicaid chief Mehmet Oz. He also said he supports the Medicaid work requirement, the Alaska Beacon reported.
In Alaska, marketplace enrollment fell by more than 3,000 people after the tax credits lapsed, and Juneau's hospital expects to lose up to $4 million a year in Medicaid revenue.
Dan Sullivan's Votes on Medicaid, Hospitals and Health Insurance
- Sullivan Cast a Deciding Vote for the Law That Cuts Alaska Medicaid Coverage in July 2025. On July 1, 2025, Dan Sullivan voted yes on H.R. 1, which passed 50 to 50 with the Vice President's vote. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated 35,000 Alaskans would lose health insurance under the bill, from Medicaid and from reduced marketplace tax credits.
- Sullivan Voted Against Six Motions to Protect Medicaid Patients and Hospitals in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Sullivan voted no on motions to strike the Medicaid cuts (47 to 53), strike provisions that would raise the risk of rural hospitals closing (49 to 51), remove new paperwork burdens that strip people of federal benefits (48 to 52), eliminate provider tax changes and provisions that would lead to nursing home closures (48 to 52), preserve hospital labor and delivery units (48 to 52) and strike cuts to Medicaid payments for substance use treatment (47 to 53), as described in the Congressional Record. On July 1 he also voted no on an amendment to strike limits on certain Medicaid payments.
- Sullivan Voted Against Extending the Insurance Tax Credits That Alaskans Lost in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Sullivan voted no on waiving a point of order against an amendment to extend the enhanced premium tax credits, which failed 47 to 53. A pet supply shop owner in Anchorage told the Anchorage Daily News his plan went from around $950 a month to $2,860 after the credits expired.
- Sullivan Voted Against Removing the $880 Billion Medicaid Instruction in April 2025. On April 5, 2025, Sullivan voted no on striking the budget resolution's instruction "to cut $880,000,000,000 from Medicaid" (Congress.gov amendment record). It failed 49 to 50.
- Sullivan Voted Against Taking Up a Repeal of the Marketplace Rule in January 2026. On January 13, 2026, Sullivan voted no on the motion to proceed to S.J. Res. 84, which would have overturned the CMS "Marketplace Integrity and Affordability" rule; it failed 47 to 52. The rule excludes Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients from marketplace eligibility and adds income verification and shorter enrollment periods.
- Sullivan Voted to Confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz in 2025. Sullivan voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services on February 13, 2025 and Mehmet Oz as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on April 3, 2025. Their department now carries out the law's Medicaid work requirements, which Alaska must apply to more than 61,000 low-income Alaskans.
- Sullivan Backed the Medicaid Work Requirement in July 2025. After the Senate vote, Sullivan said he supports the requirement that adult Medicaid recipients work, volunteer or train at least 20 hours a week.
What Dan Sullivan's Health Care Votes Mean for Alaska Patients
- Up to 13,611 Alaskans are projected to lose Medicaid coverage. Of about 19,000 Alaskans who will have to prove compliance manually, between 50 and 72 percent could lose coverage, cutting them off from doctor visits, prescriptions and hospital care paid by Medicaid.
- Marketplace enrollment in Alaska fell 11 percent after the credits lapsed. 25,493 Alaskans enrolled in marketplace plans for January 2026, down from 28,736 in 2025, as premiums doubled or tripled for many, and Premera has asked for a 26.6 percent rate increase for 2027.
- Juneau's hospital could lose up to $4 million a year in Medicaid revenue. Bartlett Regional Hospital serves communities only accessible by air or water and is Juneau's only home health and hospice provider, services now under financial pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions Dan Sullivan on Health Care
What is Dan Sullivan's record on health care under Trump?
Dan Sullivan of Alaska voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and against motions to strike its Medicaid cuts, protect rural hospitals and extend premium tax credits. Alaska's health department projects up to 13,611 Alaskans will lose Medicaid under its work rules, and marketplace enrollment in Alaska fell after the credits lapsed.
Did Dan Sullivan vote to protect rural hospitals?
No. Dan Sullivan voted no on June 30, 2025 on a motion to strike provisions raising the likelihood of rural hospitals closing, which failed 49 to 51. Five Alaska hospitals were on a national at-risk list.
How did Dan Sullivan vote on Obamacare subsidies?
Dan Sullivan voted no on June 30, 2025 on a motion to waive a point of order so an extension of the enhanced premium tax credits could be considered. More than 3,000 Alaskans dropped marketplace coverage after the credits expired.
Does Dan Sullivan support Medicaid work requirements?
Yes. Dan Sullivan said he supports the 20-hour weekly requirement, the Alaska Beacon reported on July 1, 2025.
Last updated: 2026-10-28