Congress Eyes Sweeping Medicaid, ACA Cuts Nationwide

Republican-led proposals in Congress, including the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' seek sweeping cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, raising alarms among Democratic lawmakers, health care advocates, and hospital groups. Analyses estimate these cuts could cause up to 16 million Americans to lose health insurance, increase medical debt by $50 billion, and result in $321 billion in lost hospital revenue. Vulnerable groups such as children, seniors, people with disabilities, and rural communities would be disproportionately affected, with significant risks of hospital closures and increased emergency room crowding. The proposals also threaten hundreds of thousands of health sector jobs and billions in economic output, particularly in states that have not expanded Medicaid. New eligibility restrictions and work requirements are expected to create administrative hurdles that may lead many to lose coverage even if they remain eligible. Experts warn that the scale of these funding reductions could destabilize the entire U.S. health care system and reduce access and affordability nationwide.