RFK Jr. Praises Arizona Tribal Healthcare While Senator Gallego Warns of Medicaid Cuts

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touted Arizona tribal healthcare as a model for the nation during a visit to the Gila River Indian Community on Wednesday, while Democratic Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego warned that federal budget cuts are about to devastate Medicaid programs serving Native American communities.

"We're going to make Indian Country healthy again," Kennedy told about 1,400 tribal members and leaders at a national conference at the Wild Horse Pass resort. During his second visit to Arizona in the past year, Kennedy highlighted what he called the Trump Administration's health-related accomplishments for Native Americans.

Tribal Self-Governance Cited as Success

Kennedy singled out the four-year-old River People Health Center on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community as an example of successful tribal self-determination. The tribe is allowed to manage programs and services previously run by the federal government.

"I met with the staff, and I saw this extraordinary operation that is a model, not just for Indian hospitals, but for every hospital around the country," Kennedy said during a visit to the outpatient facility at the site. "I went back to Washington, I told my whole senior staff, 'You've got to go down and see this place,' which they did."

Kennedy said HHS was embarking on the largest hiring effort in Indian Health Service history and implementing retention strategies for high-need roles and locations. He also claimed President Trump supports tribal self-determination more than any previous president.

Senator Gallego Warns of Medicaid Cuts

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego spoke at a luncheon immediately after Kennedy's speech, offering a starkly different perspective on the HHS secretary's tenure with tribes.

"I'm sure there are some successes here and there," Gallego said of Kennedy's work with tribes. "We appreciate that."

Gallego then brought up what he said Kennedy left out entirely: the looming cuts to Medicaid.

"The major cuts, the major hurts, are about to come because they had to, in their minds, cut Medicaid and cut all these programs to pay for their massive tax cut," Gallego said, referring to the Republican spending and taxing plan enacted last year.

Tribal Leaders Warn of Consequences

Tribal leaders nationwide have warned that President Trump's cuts to Medicaid could decimate healthcare in rural areas, home to many Native American communities.

"You're going to see some hospital systems that are going to end up shutting down or just shutting different services because they're not going to be able to afford anything. They'll either have to go without or drive farther away," one tribal member told reporters.

Campaigning in Arizona

While in Arizona, Kennedy also did some campaigning. He headlined a Phoenix fundraiser for former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely, who is the Trump-backed candidate running in the First Congressional District GOP primary. That district is one of several swing districts around the country that Republicans need to hold in November to maintain their narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

Kennedy also did not address more controversial aspects of his tenure, such as his attempts to roll back childhood vaccinations. He took no questions after his 17-minute speech.

Federal Funding Concerns

The situation reflects broader tensions over federal funding for tribal healthcare. The one-time Big Beautiful Bill Act will add more frequent eligibility checks and work requirements to access Medicaid, according to tribal officials.

Data on maternal health disparities in pregnancy and postpartum often misses the point that the system is set up for women to not have access to care, said Haozous, a member of the Fort Sill-Chiricahua-Warm Springs-Apache Tribe.

On top of funding cuts, the legislation will add more frequent eligibility checks and work requirements to access Medicaid, tribal members said.