The Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 (H.R. 1) enacts sweeping reductions to Medicaid, Medicare and nutrition programs. Advocates say these changes will profoundly affect older adults’ ability to access health care, food and basic support — despite administration claims that seniors won’t lose benefits.
“This bill paid for tax cuts for the wealthiest by cutting public programs for those with the lowest incomes,” said Christ. “Most older adults live on very limited resources and will be harmed by its passage.”
And the budget eliminates or restructures many programs that have supported aging in place. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that by 2034, more than 1.3 million adults over 65 could lose Medicaid coverage due to changes in key registration and eligibility rules. Major reductions include approximately $990 billion from Medicaid and $187 billion from SNAP, the nutrition program for low income Americans, over 10 years.
These cuts also impact older people who are still working, family caregivers and the direct care workforce. Below are some key areas health journalists should pay attention to when covering these policy shifts in their communities.
