Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" Breaks Medicaid Promise

Published by BNN

Former President Trump repeatedly assured voters he wouldn’t “touch Medicaid”. Yet, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) slashes $930 billion–$1.1 trillion from Medicaid over the next decade. According to the CBO, 11–11.8 million fewer Americans will have health coverage by 2034 (Investors.com, CNBC).

💔 Rural Hospitals on the Brink

Rural hospitals, particularly in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and Alabama, rely heavily on Medicaid. The House version alone threatens around $70 billion in cuts; the Senate’s version could reduce up to $1 trillion (Houston Chronicle). Arizona hospital leaders warn that a third of patients are Medicaid recipients (Cronkite News).

⚠️ Weaponizing Medicaid: Work Mandates and Red Tape

The bill introduces new 80-hour-per-month work requirements and expands eligibility checks. Patients may face service fees of up to $35 per visit, which could deter low-income patients (ABC57, Center for American Progress). In Alabama alone, 170,000 could lose coverage (Alabama Political Reporter).

🗳️ GOP Backlash: Republicans Warned—but Voted Anyway

Despite deep concern, only a few Republicans—like Senators Tillis, Paul, and Collins—voted against the bill (Wall Street Journal). Tillis warned it would be “politically and socially harmful.” Others feared retaliation from Trump, who threatened to back primary challengers (Cronkite News, Economic Times).

🌍 Human and National Costs of Ditching Renewables

Lives Lost to Coal

OBBBA cuts funding for wind, solar, and geothermal while offering tax breaks to metallurgical coal companies— an estimated $200–300 million/year subsidy (Inside Climate News). Increased coal use is directly linked to higher rates of respiratory illness and coal-mining cancers, inevitably increasing health care costs, which may unexpectedly result in a wash for any saving this bill hopes to achieve through Medicaid cuts.

Higher Energy Costs

Wind and solar remain cheaper than coal per kWh. Cutting subsidies to clean energy while supporting coal will ultimately raise consumer energy prices and increase long-term federal deficits by over $2.4 trillion.

Renewable Sector Job Losses

Analysts predict a loss of over 500,000 clean energy jobs due to these cuts. The rollback threatens industry momentum built under the Inflation Reduction Act and stifles future green innovation.

Energy Independence at Risk

Abandoning renewables reverses progress toward U.S. energy independence. It increases reliance on fossil fuels and exposes the nation to geopolitical volatility—posing a growing national security risk.

✅ A Smarter Path Forward

• Reform Medicaid to reduce fraud without gutting care access.
• Preserve incentives for wind, solar, and geothermal to lower energy costs and grow jobs.
• Prioritize energy independence and security through renewable development.

🔚 Conclusion

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” breaks his Medicaid promise, threatens healthcare access, boosts coal over clean energy, raises energy costs, kills jobs, and endangers national security. Smarter, targeted healthcare reform and preserving clean-energy investments (or leaving clean-energy out of the bill entirely) would have delivered broader, long-term benefits for the American people.