Medicaid Defense

Nearly 80 million people, including over 7 million seniors, rely on Medicaid for health and long-term care. Without Medicaid, most older adults who need help with daily activities would not be able to afford home-based or nursing facility care. Medicaid makes Medicare affordable for millions of older adults by paying their Medicare cost-sharing and covering vital benefits that Medicare does not, such as dental, vision, hearing, and non-emergency medical transportation. Many paid and unpaid caregivers for older adults also rely on Medicaid for their own health coverage.

In July 2025, Congress passed, and the President signed, the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 (H.R. 1), also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” This law makes deep, unprecedented cuts to Medicaid funding and adds new restrictions on Medicaid coverage and eligibility. These changes will reduce access to health and long-term care for older adults and people with disabilities.

Justice in Aging is developing written resources, analyses, training materials, and advocacy tools that explain how the law affects older adults, their caregivers, and families -- and to equip advocates at the federal and state levels with the tools they need to protect Medicaid and preserve coverage.

Stay informed. Sign up for our mailing list to get the latest resources on Medicaid Defense and other resources on the programs that matter to older adults. https://justiceinaging.org/sign-up/