ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Georgia’s U.S. senators are joining a bipartisan push against President Donald Trump’s sweeping budget proposal, projected to be $153 billion.

More than 2 million Georgians rely on Medicaid, and according to estimates from the Kaiser Family Foundation, as many as 200,000 people in the state could lose their Medicaid coverage or private insurance through Georgia Access almost immediately if the plan passes.

Kelley McDaniel’s son, Landon, lives with autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. He depends on Medicaid to afford life-saving treatments.

“He experiences multiple seizures a day,” McDaniel said. His medication costs $15,000 out-of-pocket. His last hospital visit — over a million dollars.”

At one point, McDaniel said her son was on a ventilator.

“All I could think about was, am I going to get to take my child home with me? I wasn’t thinking about how I was going to pay for this,” she said.

While there are some exemptions in the bill for people with disabilities, Georgians like McDaniel worry sweeping regulatory changes — including work requirements for adults under 65 and new red tape in the paperwork process — could threaten coverage for vulnerable families.

Whitney Griggs, president of Georgians for a Healthy Future, echoed those concerns.

“Georgians will feel these impacts very quickly,” Griggs said. “And a lot more people than expected are going to lose coverage.”

On the Senate floor Monday, Sen. Jon Ossoff proposed an amendment aimed at reinstating federal tax credits that would help low-income families. He said those tax credits could save Georgia families thousands of dollars annually.

“In Dougherty County, it’s $2,200. In Chattahoochee County, $2,300. In Richmond County, it’s $2,600,” Ossoff said.

But, Republican senators voted down the measure, saying the proposed tax credits were a distraction from deeper issues with the health care system.

“Despite the Democrats’ rhetoric, they’re conflating two separate issues: ensuring health care affordability and access requires thoughtful, deliberative, and real solutions,” said Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyoming).

On Monday, Sen. Raphael Warnock went to the floor of the United States Senate to call on his GOP colleagues to reject the bill.

“Senate Republicans are trying to implement the failed Georgia model nationwide, because their goal is not to get people to work, it’s to kick people off Medicaid,” said Warnock.

McDaniel remains fearful that families like hers will be left behind.

“Instead of asking my son why he needs Medicaid, why don’t we start asking the healthcare systems why they are charging so much?” she said.

The Senate version of the bill will need to return to the House before it can reach President Trump’s desk. The President has said he hopes to sign the bill this week.

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