Demonstrators in Midtown on Independence Day voice disapproval against President Trump's new legislation, the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' now enacted as law.
In a move that has sparked widespread debate, President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," passed by Congress in 2025, has significantly reshaped Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the national debt, while drawing sharp criticism from protesters and healthcare professionals.
**Impact on Medicaid and SNAP:**
The bill cuts federal funding for Medicaid by around $863 billion and reduces SNAP funding by approximately $295 billion between fiscal years 2025 to 2034, with total cuts exceeding $1 trillion. These cuts include new work requirements for some Medicaid and SNAP recipients, such as increasing the work requirement age for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64 and applying work requirements to parents of children aged 14 and older.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the bill will cause 11 to 16 million Americans to lose health insurance coverage through Medicaid and the ACA marketplace by 2034. SNAP enrollment is projected to fall by an average of 4.7 million people, with remaining recipients receiving reduced nutrition benefits. The bill could also trigger job losses and economic hits to state GDPs as health and nutrition funding shrink.
**Impact on National Debt:**
Despite cuts to social programs, the bill is estimated to add over $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, due to its vast tax and spending provisions unrelated to Medicaid and SNAP.
**Criticism by Protesters and Healthcare Professionals:**
Healthcare experts warn that Medicaid cuts will lead to hospital closures, especially in rural areas, reducing access to urgent and maternity care. Emergency room doctors project the bill could cause over 55,000 preventable deaths annually because people will lose affordable access to healthcare. Protesters and critics argue that the bill disproportionately harms vulnerable populations by reducing access to essential health and nutrition services, effectively increasing hunger and uninsured rates among millions.
The White House defends the bill by claiming it strengthens Medicaid's integrity by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse to better serve those truly in need. However, the legislation raises the national debt limit by $5 trillion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, and adds another $3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade.
In summary, President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" significantly downsizes Medicaid and SNAP funding and coverage, increases work requirements, and adds substantially to the national debt, while provoking widespread concern from healthcare workers and advocacy groups about the negative effects on public health, food security, and hospital viability. The legislation has sparked protests across the nation, with demonstrators expressing frustration and vowing to fight the legislation.
Science and health-and-wellness experts have issued countless studies and reports highlighting the potential health implications of the "Big Beautiful Bill," which aims to reshape Medicaid, SNAP, and the national debt. For instance, airing concerns about increased preventable deaths due to the bill's removal of affordable healthcare for millions, while policy-and-legislation analysts contemplate the bill's wider effects on general-news fronts, such as its impact on the political landscape.
