House Panel Advances Medicaid Cuts Threatening Millions' Coverage

House Republicans are advancing a large legislative package aligned with President Donald Trump's agenda that includes significant Medicaid cuts aimed at saving $880 billion over ten years, sparking strong opposition from Democrats, hospital leaders, and some GOP members. Polling shows most Trump voters and swing voters disapprove of the Medicaid reductions, which are seen as politically risky given the program's broad impact on families. The cuts would restrict states' use of provider taxes and prevent Medicaid funds from covering gender transition procedures for minors, potentially resulting in over 10 million people losing coverage by 2034 according to the Congressional Budget Office. Speaker Mike Johnson faces internal GOP divisions, with conservatives criticizing the Medicaid work requirements as insufficient and some Republicans from high-tax states demanding changes to state and local tax deductions, jeopardizing the package's passage. House committee sessions on the bill have been contentious, including disruptive protests against Medicaid cuts and prolonged debates on related tax measures. Democrats argue the package disproportionately benefits the wealthy at the expense of essential safety-net programs, while Republicans push to finalize the bill before the Memorial Day deadline despite significant intra-party dissent.