Senator Durbin, SIU Medicine leaders express concerns about federal budget cuts
Health care leaders and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin gathered at Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine on July 25 to strongly denounce sweeping federal budget cuts to Medicaid, student loan support and medical research—pillars that sustain both local patient care and the next generation of physicians.
“The new federal directives are not theoretical,” said Dr. Jerry Kruse, dean and provost of SIU Medicine. “They will directly harm the people and communities we serve—especially in rural and underserved parts of central and southern Illinois. This isn’t politics. It’s patients, it’s providers and it’s progress on the line.”
Senator Durbin, a longtime advocate for rural health care, emphasized the ripple effects of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the federal budget passed by Congress. “Why would we cut Medicaid so dramatically at this point in history?” Durbin asked. “The administration believes a tax break for the wealthiest Americans is more important than health care for everyone else. I couldn’t disagree more.”
Durbin outlined three concerns in the budget: reductions to Medicaid, a rollback in medical research funding and new caps on student loans that would limit access to medical education. “These changes strike at the heart of institutions like SIU Medicine that exist to serve communities most in need,” he said.
Medicaid and underserved communities
Dr. Karie Schwertman, an SIU family physician and former public school teacher, spoke passionately about the stakes for vulnerable populations. “I grew up in a poor family. I remember going without electricity and driving hours to see a dentist who allowed a payment plan," she said. "Today, I serve similar families—people who depend on Medicaid to access basic care. Cuts to Medicaid will bring us back to a time of fragmented care, ER overuse and worsening rural health disparities.”
Schwertman leads a comprehensive care clinic that integrates primary care, behavioral health, pharmacy and legal aid—a model made possible through flexible Medicaid funding. “We need support, not barriers,” she said. “And we need Medicaid that’s strong and sustainable.”
Access to medical education
The proposed cap of $50,000 per year on medical student loans was another key concern. Dr. Haneme Idrizi, associate dean of student affairs, said it could discourage students from pursuing medical careers, especially those from working-class and rural backgrounds. “I’m a proud daughter of immigrants. I would not have become a pediatrician without federal loans,” Idrizi said. "The proposed cap would reduce access to medical education and shrink the physician pipeline at a time when we desperately need more doctors in primary care, psychiatry and pediatrics.”
Idrizi warned that aspiring students are already questioning whether they can afford to continue their education. “SIU was founded to train physicians to serve rural and underserved areas. These cuts undermine that mission.”
Research funding and local innovation
Dr. Don Torry, associate dean of research, emphasized how slashing medical research budgets will stall critical progress. “Research at SIU targets real-world problems: cancer, maternal health, mental illness, Alzheimer’s, among many others” he said. “Every federal dollar invested in research here provides new advances in medicine, training of future leaders in health care advances, and generates $2.50 in local economic activity. This isn’t just about science—it’s about hope for our patients and our surrounding communities.”
According to Torry, proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget would reduce funding from $48 billion to $30 billion—a 40% rollback. “That kind of budgeting will devastate medical research nationally and especially impact institutions like ours and the advances that our communities desperately need.”
As the press conference closed, Kruse reaffirmed SIU Medicine’s commitment: “We were founded on the principle of social accountability," he said. "Even in the face of these threats, we remain unwavering in our mission—to educate, to heal and to serve the people of this region with compassion and excellence.”
