NHP news | March 2025

Proposed Medicaid cuts would jeopardize the sustainability of rural hospitals, leaving millions without access to necessary healthcare. With nearly 14 million rural Americans on Medicaid, budget cuts might drive hospitals to collapse, exacerbating provider shortages and reducing access to prenatal care, emergency services and chronic illness management. AFT healthcare leaders in Alaska, Montana and Washington warn of dire consequences, including overcrowded emergency rooms and economic collapse in rural communities. The leaders are encouraging lawmakers and activists to protect Medicaid.  

 

On March 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that unlawfully terminates federal workers’ collective bargaining rights under the false pretext of national security. The AFT represents thousands of affected employees in Department of Defense schools and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. AFT President Randi Weingarten slammed the order, saying, “This has nothing to do with security and everything to do with silencing those who disagree with the government.”  

 

President Donald Trump’s deep cuts to essential services threaten millions of Americans—from students and veterans to the elderly and disabled—all to fund tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk. AFT President Randi Weingarten shares how the Trump administration is slashing education funding; weakening Social Security and Medicaid; and gutting agencies that ensure food safety, disease prevention and national security. Americans are fighting back, as we saw on the AFT’s Protect Our Kids Day of Action, when thousands protested these reckless policies. We must reject this betrayal of working people and demand a government that serves everyone—not just the wealthy.  

 

In a decisive victory, 60 Metro Behavioral Health nurses in Cleveland voted overwhelmingly on March 17 to join the Ohio Nurses Association/AFT, sending a powerful message: Frontline caregivers are ready to unite for safer staffing, stronger workplace protections and a real voice in decision-making. This win comes at a pivotal moment. Healthcare workers across the nation are grappling with chronic understaffing, rising workplace violence and dwindling resources. For Metro Behavioral Health nurses, the need for change was undeniable.  

 

As the Trump administration targets everything from education to trade agreements, it’s often hard to know where the next disaster might be coming from. But by focusing on one area of concern, we can shut out some of the chaos and think more clearly about how we will fight back. To mark Women’s History Month, we take a look at five top concerns unfolding as President Donald Trump attacks women by advancing harmful policies that affect not only women but all Americans.

 

A federal court ordered Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to delete and return unlawfully accessed Social Security records—the first legal rebuke of DOGE’s actions under Trump. The ruling followed a lawsuit by Democracy Forward on behalf of AFSCME, the Alliance for Retired Americans and the AFT. AFT President Randi Weingarten condemned the data breach, stressing that retirees deserved security. On March 24, activists rallied in front of a Social Security office in White Plains, N.Y., telling DOGE: Hands off our Social Security!  

 

With measles cases on the rise, schools, healthcare facilities and communities are once again on the frontlines of a preventable public health crisis. On March 24, the AFT held an interactive town hall discussion with Dr. Vin Gupta, a leading public health expert and pulmonologist; AFT President Randi Weingarten; and Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics on the current measles outbreak and its impact on AFT members and the communities we serve. In case you missed it, the townhall webinar is available on demand.

 

On Jan. 20, 2025, the Trump administration rescinded a policy memo that protected certain areas—such as healthcare facilities and schools—from immigration enforcement. As a result, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents are allowed to conduct enforcement actions in formerly protected areas. It’s important to remember that members of our immigrant community still have basic constitutional rights. The AFT immigration hub has resources available for healthcare workers. The Protecting Our Patients and Families Toolkit is available in English and Spanish. The hub also features links to updated resources for healthcare workers, including Know Your Rights for Healthcare Facilities and a Healthcare Facility Pledge.