Senate Budget Bill Doubles Down on House’s Threat to Health and Economic Security

On Monday, Senate Republicans released key reconciliation bill language, outlining plans to slash Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in order to pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit high-income earners. Despite advocates’ hopes that the Senate might reject or moderate the House bill, it instead doubles down on harmful policies—seeking even deeper reductions and doing even more damage.

Millions Would Lose Health Coverage, Food Assistance, and Economic Security

Like the House bill, the Senate’s proposals would strip health coverage and access to food from millions of Americans, including older adults and people with disabilities, caregivers, children, and working families. The consequences of these extreme cuts would reverberate across the country and throughout the health care system, resulting in more preventable deaths, more hospital closures, more dangerous nursing homes, and higher health care costs for everyone.  

Senate Plan Goes Even Further Than the House

But the Senate bill would go even further. Their Medicaid cuts eclipse the House’s, which already represented the largest rollback in the program’s history. This would push greater costs onto states, providers, communities, taxpayers, and ultimately onto low-income Americans who would lose the services they need to live with health, dignity, and independence.

Programs That Help People with Medicare Are Under Attack

Together, these cruel and short-sighted proposals financially benefit those with higher incomes by terminating food assistance and health coverage for those who can least afford it. This includes Medicare enrollees who also have Medicaid, and with it, access to Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low Income Subsidy—programs that help them pay for coverage, care, and other necessities. Both bills would take this assistance away from millions, putting their lives and well-being at risk. At the same time, the bills would impose punitive Medicaid rules, restrict ACA affordability, limit Medicare eligibility, and gut SNAP, causing more than 16 million people to become uninsured and countless more to experience food insecurity, economic instability, and reduced access to care. These harms would have destabilizing effects throughout the economy, undermining system-wide stability and affordability.

The Clock Is Ticking: Final Vote Could Come by July 4

Despite the catastrophic, irreparable damage their bill would do, Senate Republicans plan to vote on it next week. Since both chambers must pass an identical bill for it to become law, the House would then vote again. That could happen quickly, as Republicans are eyeing a July 4 deadline for final passage.

This rushed schedule means now is the time to go all in with your advocacy. Contact your lawmakers, activate your networks, attend events where your lawmakers will be present, and engage your local media.

Read more from KFF about what’s in the House and Senate bills.