House Republicans have introduced a new legislative bill seeking to significantly overhaul Medicaid, the public health program that covers more than 70 million people in the United States.
The proposal includes budget cuts totaling $880 billion over the next decade and establishes new eligibility requirements that critics say could leave millions of beneficiaries without health care.
The legislative text, published by the Energy and Commerce Committee, is part of the ambitious package pushed by President Donald Trump.
The legislation proposes measures such as mandatory verification of citizenship, strict oversight of providers, and a semiannual review of eligibility requirements in place of the current annual review.
In addition, federal funding for states that offer coverage to undocumented immigrants would be eliminated.
One of the most controversial points is the imposition of work requirements: healthy adults aged 19 to 64 without dependents must work or participate in community programs at least 80 hours a month to maintain their coverage.
Although there are exceptions for pregnant women and cases of financial hardship, organisations advocating for the public health system warn that this will particularly affect low-income people, who could lose access because they are unable to comply with the administrative requirements.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), these measures could cause 8.6 million people to lose their health coverage over the next ten years.
While Republicans defend the proposal as a way to eliminate “waste and fraud,” in the system, Democrats call it “shameful” and compare it to a new attempt to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
“These Republican cuts to Medicaid are nothing short of cruel. They would rip away nursing home care for seniors, eliminate home care options for people who just want to age with dignity, and drive hospitals deeper into financial distress,” warned Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone.
At the same time, the bill also seeks to roll back environmental initiatives promoted during the Biden administration, eliminating funding for clean energy programs and easing permits for natural gas and oil pipeline projects.
Although the energy component is less extensive, its impact has also raised concerns among environmentalists.
Despite internal divisions, Republican leaders are pushing to pass the package before the Memorial Day recess. However, more than a dozen Republican lawmakers have already expressed their opposition to cuts to social assistance programs that directly benefit their communities.
For example, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania stated, “If a bill is put in front of me that guts the benefits my neighbors rely on, I will not vote for it.”