Hospital Leaders, Medicaid Recipients Urge Senate to Protect Coverage Amid Budget Cuts

Medicaid work requirements have sparked significant opposition from recipients, advocates, and health leaders who warn they would add bureaucratic hurdles and potentially cause millions to lose coverage, especially vulnerable populations such as those undergoing addiction treatment. The Senate is preparing to vote on a budget reconciliation bill that includes substantial Medicaid cuts and reforms, with estimates suggesting over 10 million people could lose coverage due to these changes, including the introduction of work requirements and caps on provider taxes. Republican lawmakers like Senator Chuck Grassley assert that the needy, including the disabled, elderly, and children, will retain coverage, while critics argue the bill creates confusing administrative barriers that threaten access. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz is advocating for Medicaid reforms aimed at curbing alleged abuses, such as unauthorized immigrants receiving benefits, and supporting a refocus of Medicaid on its original vulnerable populations, a stance echoed by fiscal conservatives. In Missouri, Medicaid recipients and local advocates are urging senators to reject cuts tied to the "Big Beautiful Bill," with concerns that work requirements could remove coverage from hundreds of thousands, risking severe consequences for families dependent on Medicaid. The debate reflects a broader conflict between efforts to reduce government spending and maintain health care access for low-income Americans under President Trump's administration.