Republicans Seek Obamacare Rollback Cutting Coverage Millions

Republicans are advancing a major rollback of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through a House-passed megabill that would cause millions to lose health insurance coverage, primarily by scaling back Medicaid expansion and imposing stricter eligibility and enrollment requirements. The bill, part of President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," extends the 2017 tax cuts favoring the wealthy while funding immigration enforcement, but it quietly incorporates provisions that reduce Medicaid funding and restrict access to federally subsidized insurance marketplaces. Democratic leaders and health care advocates argue this amounts to a backdoor ACA repeal, warning it would increase uninsured rates by more than 10 million people and lead to hospital closures, especially in rural areas. Senate Republicans are divided, with some opposing Medicaid cuts due to their potential impact on low-income voters. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would reduce Medicaid enrollment by 7.6 million and marketplace enrollment by 3.1 million over ten years. Supporters claim the changes are meant to protect the most vulnerable populations and reduce waste and abuse, but critics view them as a harsh rollback of essential health benefits.