House-Passed Medicaid Cuts Could Cause 51,000 Preventable Deaths Annually

Multiple recent analyses warn that proposed Medicaid cuts embedded in the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," could result in millions of Americans losing health coverage and tens of thousands of preventable deaths annually. Research led by experts from the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, and Harvard Medical School projects over 51,000 preventable deaths each year from combined effects such as loss of Medicaid or Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage, disenrollment from Medicare Savings Programs, and revocation of nursing home staffing rules. The bill proposes significant reductions including work requirements, per capita spending caps, and ending Biden-era expansions, which could reduce Medicaid enrollment by over 10 million and cause 7.6 million people to become uninsured. These cuts would also lead to decreased access to primary care, medication non-adherence, and skipped preventive services like mammograms, exacerbating health disparities among low-income populations. Experts emphasize that while some provisions aim to reduce fraud, the overall impact risks worsening chronic illnesses and mortality, raising concerns about the balance between fiscal policy and public health. The analyses underscore the urgent need for public discussion on the broader health consequences of these policy changes.