¶ Overview
In 2026, Petersen led efforts to conform Arizona’s tax statutes to Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which is estimated to kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans who rely on Medicaid. Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” more than 342,000 Arizonans could lose their health insurance, including 193,981 Medicaid recipients and 148,500 Affordable Care Act enrollees, and rural hospitals in Arizona were in jeopardy with at least five at risk of closing.
Between 2013 and 2015, Petersen voted against enforcing the Affordable Care Act in Arizona, voted for Medicaid work requirements, and called Medicaid expansion “unsustainable.” In 2026, 357,144 Arizonans relied on Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for their health care.
¶ Petersen Supported Stripping Health Insurance Away From Millions Of Americans Who Relied On Medicaid
¶ Petersen Led Republican Efforts To Conform Arizona’s Tax Statutes To Changes In The “One Big Beautiful Bill” And Denied That The Bill Only Benefits The Wealthy
January 2026: Petersen Co-Sponsored Legislation To Conform Arizona’s Tax Statutes To Reflect Federal Changes In The “One Big Beautiful Bill.” In 2026, according to the Arizona State Legislature, Petersen co-sponsored SB 1106, which stated, “Retroactive to January 1, 2025, conforms Arizona tax statutes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (U.S. IRC) as of January 1, 2026, to reflect changes adopted by the U.S. Congress during 2025. Establishes individual income tax subtractions, modifies individual income tax deductions and increases the Dependent Tax Credit. Declares the state's election to participate in the federal tax credit for individuals who make qualified contributions to school granting organizations (SGOs) and outlines SGO certification and administration requirements. […] On July 4, 2025, major federal tax changes were enacted through H.R. 1, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill.” SB 1106 passed the state Senate by a vote of 17-12 and the state house by a vote of 31-27, but Governor Hobbs vetoed the bill. [Arizona State Legislature – SB 1106 (2026), Introduced 1/12/26; Arizona Senate Vote, 1/15/26]
2026: Petersen Led Republican Efforts In The Arizona State Legislature To “Include Full Tax Conformity To The One Big Beautiful Bill” In The State’s Budget. According to the Center Square, “The Arizona Department of Revenue sent out tax forms to Arizonans despite the governor's office still determining how Arizona will change its tax laws to conform to the federal law changes made last July with congressional passage of H.R. 1 - the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. With the tax filing deadline coming up on April 15, ‘people are nervous because there’s a lack of clarity from the governor’s office’ on tax conformity, said Senate President Warren Petersen. Tax forms have already been sent out, and over 1 million people have filed, Petersen, R-Gilbert, told The Center Square this week. According to Petersen, Republicans are seeking to implement all the tax cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill, while Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to implement around half the cuts. […] Republicans are working on a budget currently that will be responsible, balanced and include full tax conformity to the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate president said.” [Center Square, 4/3/26]
Petersen Said Hobbs’ Assertions That The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Only Benefits The Wealthy Was “Just Not True” Because It Mostly Impacted Taxes On Tips, Car Interest Loans, And Overtime, Which Petersen Said Were “Not Rich People.” According to Petersen on Arizona’s Morning News, “HOST: And one of the things you mentioned, the big beautiful bill. One of the things that the governor has said repeatedly is that the big beautiful bill greatly benefits rich Arizonans as opposed to poor Arizonans. And she says she's not going to make poor people shoulder the the most of the tax burden. What do you say to that? PETERSEN: Yeah, with all due respect, that's just not true. Rich people are not waitresses. We're talking about tax on tips. We're talking about tax on car interest loans. We're talking about no overtime. These are not rich people. And also some of the business things. These are small business owners. 90% of business transactions are small business owners. And those are the people we need need to protect. It's a nice talking point, but it's really not true. It's kind of like. Recently when she said, I support all energy solutions, except she doesn't. She says she does. But in reality, when it comes to all solutions, she does. So you can't have it both ways. These tax cuts are for everybody. They benefit all of society. That's why we're seeing right now people are paying on average 11% less on their taxes.” [Warren Petersen – Arizona’s Morning News, 4/15/26] (AUDIO)
¶ At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Health Insurance Under The “One Big Beautiful Bill” And It Put Rural Hospitals At Risk Of Closure
HEADLINE: "At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Insurance Under Trump Plan" [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
HEADLINE: “By The Numbers: Harmful Republican Megabill Favors The Wealthy And Leaves Millions Of Working Families Behind” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 8/1/25]
The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That 11.8 Million People Would Become Uninsured As A Result Of The Medicaid Cuts In Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill. According to the Washington Post, "The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday and now heads back to the House, would effectively accomplish what Republicans have long failed to do: unwind many of the key components of the ACA, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, which dramatically increased the number of Americans with access to health insurance. To start, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more uninsured in 2034, mostly because of Medicaid cuts, compared with 10.9 million if the House version became law." [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
The Bill’s $50 Billion In Rural Hospital Relief Funding Would Not Come Close To The Gap Created By Medicaid Cuts, With 300 Rural Hospitals At “Immediate Risk” Of Closure. According to the Center For American Progress, “The OBBBA includes $50 billion in relief funding for rural hospitals over a five-year period to help reduce the disastrous impacts of the bill’s roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. As of May 2025, there were approximately 2,086 rural hospitals receiving $12.2 billion a year in net revenue from Medicaid. At the median, rural hospitals’ revenue from Medicaid is $3.9 million a year. Rural hospitals have some of the lowest operating margins in the nation, especially compared with urban hospitals, meaning that any reductions in revenue could lead to closures. The average operating margin for rural hospitals was 3.1 percent in 2023, with 44 percent of rural hospitals operating with negative margins. As a result, more than 300 rural hospitals are currently at ‘immediate risk’ of closure, especially now that the OBBBA is projected to cut Medicaid spending by $1.02 trillion. The relief fund designed to blunt the negative impacts caused by the bill would not come close to filling that gap. If every rural hospital in the country received an even share of the $50 billion in relief support, it would amount to only $4.5 million every year for five years. At the close of those five years, that funding would disappear altogether.” [Center For American Progress, 7/3/25]
¶ More Than 342,000 Arizonans Were Expected To Lose Health Care Coverage Under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” And At Least Five Arizona Rural Hospitals Were At Risk Of Closing
Under The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” 342,481 Arizonans Were Expected To Lose Their Health Care By 2034, Including 148,500 ACA Enrollees And 193,981 Medicaid Recipients. According to the Joint Economic Committee Minority,
|
District |
State |
Est. # Losing ACA Coverage |
Est. # Losing Medicaid Coverage |
Est. Total # Losing Insurance |
|
AZ-01 |
Arizona |
18,800 |
12,601 |
31,401 |
|
AZ-02 |
Arizona |
15,800 |
26,014 |
41,814 |
|
AZ-03 |
Arizona |
18,000 |
35,083 |
53,083 |
|
AZ-04 |
Arizona |
15,800 |
18,538 |
34,338 |
|
AZ-05 |
Arizona |
16,300 |
13,263 |
29,563 |
|
AZ-06 |
Arizona |
15,000 |
16,925 |
31,925 |
|
AZ-07 |
Arizona |
15,400 |
32,035 |
47,435 |
|
AZ-08 |
Arizona |
16,300 |
16,701 |
33,001 |
|
AZ-09 |
Arizona |
17,100 |
22,821 |
39,921 |
|
All |
Totals |
148,500 |
193,981 |
342,481 |
[Joint Economic Committee Minority, 6/25]
- The House GOP Budget Bill Was Estimated To Increase The Uninsured Population By 8.6 Million By 2034. According to CNN, “The Medicaid and Affordable Care Act provisions in the package could result in 8.6 million more people being uninsured in 2034, according to an early CBO estimate released by Democratic lawmakers. That number is expected to grow with the latest changes.” [CNN, 5/28/25]
- The House GOP Budget Bill Codified A Trump Administration Proposal That Restricted Access To The Affordable Care Act. According to CNN, “The bill also calls for codifying a Trump administration proposal that would make changes to the Affordable Care Act enrollment process, including shortening the open enrollment period and eliminating the ability of low-income Americans to sign up year-round.” [CNN, 5/28/25]
Under The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Five Rural Arizona Hospitals That Served 50,000 Arizonans Across Five Cities And 400,000 Arizonans Across Five Counties Were At Risk Of Closing. According to The Copper Courier, “People in rural areas of Arizona will likely face greater health and injury risks, now that President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ has been signed into law. That’s because the following rural hospitals are now at risk of closing, according to a University of North Carolina study: Page Hospital (Page) Little Colorado Medical Center (Winslow) Copper Queen Community Hospital (Bisbee) Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital (Nogales) Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center (Globe) Those five cities account for nearly 50,000 Arizonans. Roughly 400,000 Arizonans live across the five impacted counties, in similar smaller towns that may or may not have dedicated hospitals.” [Copper Courier, 7/8/25]
Under The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Rural Arizona Hospitals Stood To Lose $1.2 Billion Over 10 Years Due To Lost Revenue From Medicaid Patients, Who Made Up One Third Of The Hospitals’ Payer Base. According to Cronkite News, “The impact wouldn’t be confined to those forced off the state-federal program, because lost revenue from those patients would make it harder for some facilities to stay open. ‘What it’s going to do to rural health care in Arizona is destroying it,’ said Neal Jenson, CEO of Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center in Globe, 70 miles east of Phoenix and the seat of rural Gila County. About a third of Cobre Valley’s patients are on Medicaid, he said, and ‘anytime you jeopardize a third of your payer base, you will have a significant impact.’ […] In Arizona alone, rural hospitals stand to lose $1.2 billion over 10 years under the Senate version, according to estimates from the National Rural Health Association. Even those rural hospitals that stay open could be forced to cut back. People with private insurance would also face delayed emergency care or long drives for maternity care and other services. ‘It’s not just for Medicaid patients,’ said Ann-Marie Alameddin, president and CEO of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. ‘It’s for all patients.’” [Cronkite News, 7/1/25]
¶ Petersen Voted Against Enforcing The Affordable Care Act In Arizona, Supported Medicaid Work Requirements, And Opposed Medicaid Expansion
April 2015: Petersen Voted For A Bill Prohibiting The Use Of State Resources To Enforce The Affordable Care Act, Including “Funding Or Implementing A State-Based Health Care Exchange Or Marketplace.” In 2015, according to the Arizona State Legislature, Petersen voted for HB 2643, which, “Prohibits this state and all political subdivisions from using any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer, or cooperate with the Affordable Care Act by: a. Funding or implementing a state-based health care exchange or marketplace. b. Limiting the availability of self-funded health insurance programs, reinsurance, or other products traditionally used with self-funded health insurance programs.” HB 2643 passed the state House by a vote of 34-24 and the state Senate by a vote of 16-10, and Governor Ducey signed the bill into law. [Arizona State Legislature – HB 2643 (2015), Introduced 2/10/15; Arizona House Vote, 4/2/15]
April 2014: Petersen Voted For A Bill That Would Have Implemented Work Requirements For Adults Receiving Medicaid Benefits Through The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. In 2014, according to the Arizona State Legislature, Petersen voted for HB 2367, which, “Requires on or before March 1 of each year, the Director of AHCCCS to apply to CMS for waivers or amendments to the current Section 1115 Waiver to allow the State to: ¬ Institute a work requirement for all able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid services. The work requirement must: o Require an eligible person to either become employed, actively seek employment to be verified by AHCCCS, and attend a job training program. o Require an eligible person to verify on a monthly basis compliance with requirements directly noted above and any change in family income. o Require AHCCCS to confirm an eligible person’s change in family income and redetermine the person’s eligibility. o Allow AHCCCS to ban an eligible person from enrollment for one year if the eligible person failed to report a change in family income or made a false statement regarding compliance related to becoming employed, actively seeking employment and attending a job training program” HB 2367 passed the state House by a vote of 35-22 and the state Senate by a vote of 17-12, but Governor Brewer vetoed the bill. [Arizona State Legislature – HB 2367 (2014), Introduced 1/28/14; Arizona House Vote, 4/17/14]
2013: Petersen Said Expanding Medicaid Under The Affordable Care Act Was “Unsustainable” And Losing Support Because “People Are Starting To Realize How Expensive Free Healthcare Is.” According to Petersen’s Facebook, “Obamacare expansion losing support in Arizona and around the country. People are starting to realize how expensive free healthcare is. It is unsustainable.”
[Facebook, Warren Petersen for Attorney General, 4/10/13]
¶ The “One Big Beautiful Bill” And The Expiring Affordable Care Act Tax Credits Would Result In 422,000 Uninsured Arizonans By 2034
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” And The Expiring Affordable Care Act Tax Credits Would Result In 422,000 Uninsured Arizonans By 2034. According to the Center For American Progress, “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will increase the number of Americans without health coverage in every state Estimated increase in the uninsured population due to the OBBBA and the expiration of the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits, 2034”
[Center For American Progress, 9/5/25]
¶ 2026: There Were 357,144 Individuals Enrolled In An Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan In Arizona
2026: There Were 357,144 Individuals Enrolled In An Affordable Care Act Marketplace Plan In Arizona. According to KFF, in 2026, there were 357,144 individuals enrolled in an affordable care act marketplace plan in Arizona.
[KFF, Accessed 4/23/26]
¶ The Affordable Care Act Allowed States To Expand Medicaid, Which Dramatically Lowered The Uninsured Rate Among Low-Income Workers
The Affordable Care Act Allowed States To Expand Medicaid, And States That Expanded Medicaid Dramatically Lowered The Number Of People Without Health Insurance. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) permits states to expand Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level (about $20,780 annually for an individual or $35,630 for a family of three). States that have adopted the expansion have dramatically lowered their uninsured rates. Extensive research finds that the people who gained coverage have grown healthier and more financially secure, while long-standing racial inequities in health outcomes, coverage, and access to care have shrunk.” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 6/14/24]
- The Uninsured Rate Among Low-Income Workers Fell From 38 Percent In 2013 To 17 Percent In 2022, Which Coincided With Implementation Of Medicaid Expansion. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Millions of workers have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, including people working in industries that provide critical goods and services such as health care, transportation, grocery stores, food manufacturers, and child care. Many have no access to health coverage through their jobs. In expansion states, the uninsured rate among low-income workers fell from 38 percent in 2013 to 17 percent in 2022; this sharp decline coincided with a large increase in the share of low-income workers enrolled in Medicaid.[16] In non-expansion states, the uninsured rate among low-income workers fell much less, from 46 percent to 31 percent. (See Figure 3.)” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 6/14/24]