Missouri advocates warn of coverage losses from Medicare and Medicaid cuts
Erika McGuire
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the “one big beautiful bill” touted by President Donald Trump in the early hours of Thursday morning, a sweeping tax and immigration package that includes significant reductions to Medicaid and Medicare funding.
Among the biggest impacts is a $700 billion cut to Medicaid throughout the next decade. Advocates say that could leave millions of Americans, especially low-income families in Missouri, without health coverage.
“Medicaid helps keep Missourians healthy so they can work, succeed in school and contribute to their communities, and about 9-in-10 Missourians with Medicaid health insurance are already working or qualify for an exemption because of a disability, caregiving, or school,” said Amy Blouin, president and CEO of the Missouri Budget Project.
Missouri Budget Project spokesperson Traci Gleason said the impacts could be widespread.
“It’s estimated at least 90,000 Missourians would lose medicaid just based on one provision of the bill, broader health care provisions suggest that about 200,000 Missourians would lose health care,” Gleason said. “Even if those populations aren’t targeted by the cuts that were made in the bill the additional red tape and administrative provisions will result in health care cuts for all Missourians,”
Provisions include, work requirements that would apply to recipients without disabilities between 18-65 years old who do not have a child younger than 7 years old.
Other provisions include, frequent eligibility checks, cutting federal funds to states that use Medicaid infrastructure to provide health care coverage to undocumented immigrants and banning Medicaid from covering gender transition services for children and adults.
The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that more than 1 million Missouri residents are enrolled in Medicaid.
Medicare could also be cut by about $500 billion. These cuts could decrease access to care and increase out-of-pocket costs, especially for seniors. In Missouri, rural hospitals would be directly impacted, as many are already on the brink of closure and rely on Medicaid to keep doors open.
“Medicaid helps rural health care providers stay afloat so they can serve everyone in their communities,” Blouin said. “Many rural hospitals are already on the brink of closing, and decreased Medicaid funding could push them over the edge.”
“The loss of Medicaid patients and Medicaid dollars means a lot of those folks are going to shut down and rural Missourians won’t be able to access care or will have to drive a lot further to be able to be seen,” Gleason added.
The bill includes a $300 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The cuts would put the cost on states and families
“SNAP benefits are spent directly in local stores,” Blouin said. “Federal funds from both programs directly support critical jobs in our communities, which then fuels additional economic activity in Missouri.”
The Missouri Hospital Association said in a statement “Although the U.S. House has adopted a bill, the Senate will now work on their own version of the legislation. We can’t know what differences might arise from their version of the legislation. Massive cuts to either program would be devastating for enrollees and providers. Where cuts are made matters relative to that harm. Additionally, large scale cuts could blow an enormous hole in the state’s budget. We are at the end of the first phase of a negotiation. Until the Senate alternatives appear, it’s all speculation. However, the House’s version represents powerful storm clouds on the horizon for Medicare, Medicaid and the millions of Missourians who count on the coverage they provide.”
The bill now heads to the Senate, where pushback and changes are possible.