NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Virginia Health and Human Resources Secretary Marvin Figueroa toured Newport News on Friday and discussed the potential impact of federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits on the region.
Figueroa visited the Newport News Fire Department's Community Mobile Health Bus, where Dr. John Sealander from Riverside Health treats patients for a variety of conditions.
"We've seen people with high blood pressure. We've seen people with new symptoms of significant diseases. We've seen people with elevated blood sugars," Sealander said.
The bus parks in communities throughout the city, giving residents the ability to walk up and receive treatment on the spot.
On Friday, the bus was at the Midtown-Brittingham Community Center.
"I think it is great for the community. I think it is a great opportunity for people who can't get to our clinic to get seen and get the care they need," Sealander said.
During his tour, Figueroa met with city leaders and emphasized the importance of visiting communities directly.
"I don't pretend that Richmond has all the answers, so coming out seeing what's going on at the local level helps to provide for Virginians who are in need of care," Figueroa said.
Earlier in the week, Figueroa appeared alongside Governor Abigail Spanberger as she announced steps the Commonwealth is taking to prevent people from losing their coverage. Spanberger said the budget bill passed by Congress last year will put thousands at risk of losing healthcare through Medicaid and food assistance through SNAP.
"We are very concerned about HR 1, the Big Beautiful Bill, in terms of people who aren't able to access care because they are likely to lose coverage," Figueroa said.
The White House has said the changes will cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse.
The state has set up a dashboard showing which parts of Virginia would be impacted. Newport News and the rest of the seven cities region face the highest levels of potential impact.
Figueroa said establishing partnerships will be critical as residents navigate potential coverage losses.
"We have to establish the partnerships that are necessary for people to be able to have the information they need," Figueroa said.
Figueroa said the Community Mobile Health Bus could help fill the gap if residents lose their coverage.
"The [fire] chief and I had a great conversation with the city manager about what could be the potential for these services to help us get the word out," Figueroa said.
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