Pete Ricketts on Health Care: Medicaid Cuts, Rural Hospitals, and ACA Premiums in Nebraska
Pete Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025, a law the CBO projects will cut federal health spending by more than $1 trillion and leave 10 million more people uninsured nationwide (roll call; KFF). The Nebraska Hospital Association said it could cut $3.6 billion from Nebraska hospitals over ten years (Nebraska Public Media).
The Nebraska senator also voted against motions to remove the Medicaid cuts, protect rural hospitals and drop new paperwork rules, and on December 11, 2025 he voted against advancing an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits (roll call; roll call). In 2026 he said he rejects the idea that the law cut Medicaid (Plains Sentinel).
In Nebraska, the state became the first to remove people from Medicaid under the law's work requirements (Nebraska Public Media), and 91 percent of Nebraskans in the ACA marketplace faced higher costs once the credits lapsed (KETV).
Pete Ricketts's Votes on Medicaid, Hospitals and Health Insurance
- Ricketts Voted for the Law That Cuts $1 Trillion From Health Care in July 2025. On July 1, 2025, Pete Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed 50 to 50 with the Vice President breaking the tie (roll call). The CBO projects a 10 million increase in the uninsured population (KFF).
- Ricketts Voted Against Removing the Medicaid Cuts in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on the Wyden motion to strip the bill's Medicaid cuts, which failed 47 to 53 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
- Ricketts Voted Against Protecting Rural Hospitals in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on the Markey motion to protect rural hospitals, which failed 49 to 51 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
- Ricketts Voted Against Dropping Medicaid Red Tape in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on the Coons motion on Medicaid paperwork rules, which failed 48 to 52 (roll call), and no on the Reed motion on state provider taxes, which failed 48 to 52 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
- Ricketts Voted Against Extending ACA Premium Tax Credits in December 2025. On December 11, 2025, Ricketts voted no on cloture for S. 3385, a bill to extend the enhanced premium tax credits; it failed 51 to 48, short of the 60 votes needed (roll call). He had also voted against adding the extension to the megabill on June 30, 2025 (roll call). KFF reports premium payments rose sharply for many enrollees in 2026 and projects marketplace enrollment could fall to about 17.5 million from 22.3 million (KFF).
- Ricketts Voted Against Overturning CMS Marketplace Rules in 2026. On January 13, 2026 and September 29, 2026, Ricketts voted no on taking up resolutions to overturn CMS rules on the ACA marketplace, which failed 47 to 52 and 48 to 51 (roll call; roll call).
- Ricketts Denied the Law Cut Medicaid in September 2026. At a September 1, 2026 debate, Ricketts said, "I'm going to reject your notion that it was cuts to Medicaid because spending on Medicaid is still going up" (Plains Sentinel). The CBO projects the law reduces federal health spending by more than $1 trillion (KFF).
What the Medicaid Cuts Mean for Nebraska Patients and Rural Hospitals
- A Curtis medical center is closing, with Medicaid cuts cited. Community Hospital in McCook announced in July 2025 it would close Curtis Medical Center, saying anticipated federal Medicaid cuts made it impossible to keep all services open; Curtis residents lose that local care (Nebraska Public Media).
- Nebraska hospitals face a projected $3.6 billion cut over ten years. The Nebraska Hospital Association said 44 percent of rural hospitals in the state were already losing money before the cut, warning of reduced access to care and higher premiums (Nebraska Public Media).
- Up to 40,000 Nebraskans could lose Medicaid under the work rules. Nebraska became the first state to disenroll Medicaid members under the new work requirements in 2026; a Nebraska mental health provider said she had already lost two clients to the new rules (Nebraska Public Media).
- Most Nebraska marketplace buyers faced higher premiums. About 137,645 Nebraskans used the ACA marketplace in 2025, and KETV found 91 percent could see higher costs after the enhanced credits expired; one enrollee's premium was set to rise from $360 to $1,700 a month (KETV).
Frequently Asked Questions Pete Ricketts on Health Care
What is Pete Ricketts's record on health care under Trump?
Pete Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which the CBO projects will leave 10 million more people uninsured, and against motions to remove its Medicaid cuts and protect rural hospitals (roll call; KFF). He voted against advancing an extension of ACA premium tax credits on December 11, 2025 (roll call). Nebraska hospitals face a projected $3.6 billion cut over ten years (Nebraska Public Media).
Did Pete Ricketts vote to extend the Obamacare subsidies?
No. Pete Ricketts voted against cloture on extending the enhanced ACA premium tax credits on December 11, 2025, and the motion failed 51 to 48 (roll call). KETV reported that a Nebraska enrollee's premium was set to rise from $360 to $1,700 a month without them (KETV).
How are Nebraska hospitals affected by Pete Ricketts's vote on Medicaid?
Pete Ricketts voted for the law the Nebraska Hospital Association said could cut $3.6 billion from Nebraska hospitals over a decade, and Community Hospital in McCook said anticipated Medicaid cuts led it to close Curtis Medical Center (Nebraska Public Media).
What has Pete Ricketts said about Medicaid cuts?
Pete Ricketts said at a September 1, 2026 debate that he rejects "your notion that it was cuts to Medicaid because spending on Medicaid is still going up," and he defended the law's work requirements (Plains Sentinel).
Last updated: 2026-10-28