Republican party criticizes allegedly inaccurate Democratic assertions regarding Medicaid revisions in Trump's proposed legislation.
House Republicans triumphantly advance Medicaid reform in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which they claim will eliminate waste and fraud while prioritizing coverage for vulnerable Americans. However, Democrats have raised concerns over potential Medicaid cuts, arguing that the bill could lead to millions of Americans losing health insurance.
The House GOP has defended the bill, stressing that it also includes provisions for securing the border, protecting benefits for the most vulnerable, and investing in American manufacturing and energy production. Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., has addressed the controversy surrounding the bill, stating that the Democrats' claims of 13.7 million people losing health coverage are baseless.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), 8.6 million people would lose health insurance by 2034 due to the Medicaid reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. However, Houchin asserts that 5 million of these individuals were receiving tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, which were set to expire. She maintains that the bill simply allows these sunset dates to take effect as originally intended.
Democrats have criticized the bill, warning that it could cost many Republicans their seats in the competitive midterm elections of 2026. Houchin, who served on several major committees leading budget markup, has questioned the accuracy of the CBO score, citing a report by the American Accountability Foundation revealing the potential liberal bias of 26 out of 32 staff members on CBO's Health Analysis Division.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act does not cut Medicaid for the most vulnerable, Houchin explains. Instead, it targets waste, fraud, and abuse within the Medicaid program by eliminating benefits for illegal immigrants, those ineligible for benefits, individuals receiving benefits in multiple states, and able-bodied adults choosing not to work.
Contrary to Republican affirmations, Democrats have designated Medicaid cuts as a key issue in the 2026 elections. While Republicans have lashed out at Democrats for opposing the bill's tax cuts, Democrats have criticized Republicans for voting in favor of what they term a massive tax scam that would result in millions of people losing their health insurance.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in the House of Representatives by a narrow margin, with all Democrats voting against it. Senate Republicans have indicated that they do not support the bill in its current form, raising concerns over potential negative impacts on rural hospitals and the working poor.
As the bill passes to the Senate for drafting, both political parties continue to vigorously debate its merits and consequences, reflecting the persistent political divide in Washington.
Sources: our website Digital's Elizabeth Elkind and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for our website Digital.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by the House of Representatives, includes Medicaid reform, aiming to reduce waste and fraud while prioritizing coverage for vulnerable Americans.
- However, the concerns of Democrats persist, as they argue that the bill could lead to millions of Americans losing health insurance, citing a report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicting 8.6 million people would lose health insurance by 2034.
- Republican Representative Erin Houchin defends the bill, stating that Democratic claims of 13.7 million people losing coverage are baseless, pointing out that 5 million of those individuals were receiving tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, which were set to expire.
- Both parties continue to debate the merits and consequences of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with Democrats focusing on potential Medicaid cuts, while Republicans emphasize the bill's provisions for securing the border, protecting benefits for the most vulnerable, and investing in American manufacturing and energy production.
