The One Big Beautiful Bill has passed. The pros and cons for healthcare.

The controversial, “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed through the house just in time to meet the July 4th deadline. Over the last couple of months, the bill has garnered significant attention due to the potential cuts that it could bring to certain programs and initiatives. Some of the more controversial amendments bring cuts to nutritional programs and healthcare services.

One of the main concerns Americans had about the bill was its potential impact on healthcare. Medicaid is government-sponsored healthcare for people with low incomes and those with disabilities. The new legislation imposes work requirements for some able-bodied adults, and more eligibility checks. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the new policies on Medicaid will result in millions of Americans losing coverage over the next few years. 

The Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, determined that cutting funds for states that provide medicaid coverage for individuals and banning medicaid coverage for certain treatments isn’t in compliance with the Senate reconciliation rules. Some Senate members proposed making steeper cuts to Medicaid, but the timeline for it has been delayed by one year due to it becoming a main talking point over the last month. 

A stabilization fund for rural hospitals was added to the bill after some Senate members expressed their concern for rural hospitals shutting down. The fund will distribute $50 billion to rural hospitals.