Rows of tombstones marked the real-world toll of Kiley’s vote as advocates called for accountability

ROSEVILLE, CA – Over 60 Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo residents, health care workers, and advocates gathered outside an area hospital on Thursday, lying down among rows of tombstones to demand Rep. Kevin Kiley, who is running to represent California Congressional District 6, answer for his deciding vote to terminate health care for millions of Californians and increase health care costs for families. Kiley voted for H.R. 1 – the law that guts Medi-Cal and other safety-net programs to help pay for nearly $1 trillion in tax breaks for the wealthy. 

Attendees included members of the Fight for Our Health coalition — a statewide coalition led by SEIU California, Health Access California, and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network — alongside the California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Labor Federation, Sacramento Labor Council, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California, SEIU 2015, United Dojmestic Workers, AFL-CIO, IBEW 1245, National Union of Healthcare Workers, United Nurses Association of California, Resistance Action Truth and Tenacity Pack, Voices of Liberty, and local healthcare workers. 

Kevin Kiley has said he opposes cutting Medi-Cal benefits for eligible Californians, but he then voted for H.R. 1, which passed the House by a single vote to advance, 215–214. He doubled down on July 3, 2025, sending the bill to the President’s desk. Trump then signed the bill to cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid to help pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. Statewide, over 3 million Californians could lose Medi-Cal. In CD 6 alone, nearly a quarter of a million residents could be impacted. 

Congressman Kiley also allowed billions of dollars of financial aid to lapse that help his middle-income constituents afford care. Because of that, thousands in CD 6 are seeing their premiums double or even triple in Covered California at the same time that gas and grocery costs are skyrocketing.

New Medi-Cal work requirements take effect January 1, 2027, but the communities from Roseville and Rocklin to north Sacramento and West Sacramento, are already bracing for the fallout. Kiley said he opposed cutting Medi-Cal benefits for eligible Californians, then voted for H.R. 1 twice. He also said he supported financial help for Covered California enrollees, but let those lapse, spiking health care costs for thousands of his constituents. Placer County expects about 7,000 residents to lose Medi-Cal over the coming year and has taken emergency action to absorb the cost of their care and Sacramento County projects roughly 15,000 residents losing Medi-Cal coverage. 

WHAT ADVOCATES ARE SAYING: 

“Kevin Kiley told his constituents he opposed cutting Medi-Cal benefits, and then he voted twice to do exactly that,” said Melissa Cedillo, Senior Campaign Organizer at Health Access California. “Today, we laid down in the district he’s hoping to represent because that’s what his vote means for families across this region: nearly 7,000 people in Placer County and 15,000 in Sacramento County are expected to lose their health coverage, all to make the wealthiest Americans even richer. And the worst of the cuts haven’t even started yet. You don’t get to take away people’s health care and then ask them for their trust. Kiley needs to answer for his vote.”

“I am one of the roughly 98,000 people who are aged 65 years or older who reside in Placer County,” said Diane Madoshi, a member of California Alliance of Retired Americans. “I’m an 80-year-old retired registered nurse and a resident of Placer County for 34 years. Many years ago, I became unable to work because of an autoimmune disease. My health care cost exploded. I ended up having to use money from my IRA account early. My savings were eradicated. Consequently, all I had left was just my Social Security benefits, Medicare, and fortunately, MediCal. My healthcare needs have increased along with the need for costly supplemental insurance. Today, l am very frightened, as are many seniors and persons with disabilities because of the current administration and its allies’ intent to dismantle Social Security and defund Medicare and MediCal.”

“Kevin Kiley voted to make cuts to the health care safety net for nearly 15 million of our California neighbors – 250,000 of them live in CD6,” said Noelle Filice-Smith, a registered nurse and member of California Alliance of Retired Americans. “When your neighbor loses their caregiver, who makes sure he takes his medications, gets a bath, has meals prepared and is taken to the doctor, the outcome is clear. They will get sick and end up in the emergency room, which costs thousands of dollars. Worst of all, they lose their ability to live an independent and healthy life. We deserve better.” 

“We are here because healthcare is not a luxury,” said Ellen Bezanson, Organizer for Sacramento Central Labor Council. “Healthcare is a basic part of having a decent life—and every person in our community deserves to know that when they get sick, when they get hurt, or when their family needs care, they will be able to see a doctor without being forced into financial ruin.”

Advocates say Kiley cannot be trusted after breaking his word to constituents and are calling on Californians to hold him accountable.

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