Early this morning the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass legislation that will strip health care and food assistance from millions of older adults. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which narrowly passed 215-214 with only Republican votes, will cut trillions of dollars from Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP—all to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest 10% of Americans. The bill now moves to the Senate.
“As we’ve said before, a vote for legislation to gut Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs is a vote to abandon seniors. Today, the House made that unconscionable choice. It is not true that this bill protects older adults and people with disabilities. If it becomes law, millions of seniors and people with disabilities will have the essential care and support they rely on every day taken away. This isn’t speculation—it’s a stark reality we have experienced after far less severe cuts,” said Kevin Prindiville, Executive Director of Justice in Aging. “The Senate must step up and reject these harmful policies. Older adults deserve leadership that prioritizes and invests in their health and well-being.”
The legislation would make unprecedented cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other programs that enable older adults and families across America to meet their basic needs, and push the costs onto people and states who simply cannot afford it. Punching holes in states’ budgets will force them to reduce or eliminate optional Medicaid benefits that many older adults depend on, including home and community-based services (HCBS).
At the same time, the legislation would require every state to implement Medicaid work requirements for adults up to age 65, which will rip coverage away from 5 million people and hurt everyone relying on Medicaid. The legislation also directly cuts Medicare, taking coverage from immigrants who have worked and paid into the system for decades, while also cutting access to Medicaid’s financial assistance that makes Medicare affordable and accessible for millions of low-income people. Justice in Aging will provide additional analysis of the bill in coming weeks.
Our collective advocacy made getting this vote through the House extremely difficult. We will double down and do everything we can to make the same vote in the Senate impossible.
