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How might the new health care plan affect Washingtonians?

caption: Democratic Washington Senator Patty Murray at International Community Health Services in Seattle, June 16, 2017.
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Democratic Washington Senator Patty Murray at International Community Health Services in Seattle, June 16, 2017.
KUOW Photo/Angela Nhi Nguyen

Republican senators are expected to unveil their health care proposal Monday after working behind closed doors. And Washington Democratic Senator Patty Murray has made it clear she doesn’t agree with it.

“Right now it is in jeopardy,” Murray said. She’s talking about the International Community Health Services clinic where she spoke at last week in Seattle.

The Republican proposal could make big cuts to Medicaid.

That would hit community clinics and people like Kelly Hill. She’s a working single mother with a 15-year-old son who requires assistance with things like eating and bathing.

“Care for my son is costly,” Hill said. “And Medicaid has paid a crucial role in the services he receives in the community, at school and in his medical care.”

If the bill passes, Murray said as many as 600,000 Washingtonians might lose their health care coverage.

Senate Democrats and even some Republicans said they’ve been in the dark about the bill’s details. And that’s why Murray wanted to meet with patients to see how possible changes to Medicaid might affect them.

“So I’m delighted to hear your stories and to take them back with me and to fight and do everything I can to stop this effort in the Senate,” Murray said.

She said she might get a good first look at the bill Monday.

The Senate could vote on the plan next week.

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