KFF Health News' 'What the Health?' Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Lands in the Senate. Our 400th Episode!
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Jun 5, 2025 Join Alice Miranda Ollstein, a health policy and immigration reporter at Politico, Lauren Weber from The Washington Post, and KFF Health News’ Arielle Zionts for a lively discussion on the GOP’s gigantic budget reconciliation bill. They tackle the serious potential increase in uninsured individuals, the complexities of Medicaid changes, and how legislative challenges intertwine with public perception. Plus, dive into the unique healthcare struggles highlighted in Arielle's latest report, revealing the real-life impact of policy decisions on communities.
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Uninsured Surge from Budget Bill
- The House budget bill could increase the uninsured by nearly 11 million over a decade due to cuts in Medicaid and ACA.
- Republicans preemptively discredit the CBO to soften the impact of these projections on the bill's passage prospects.
Work Requirements and Premiums Effects
- Work requirements in Medicaid mainly cause coverage loss due to bureaucratic complexity, not actual refusal to work.
- Increased ACA premiums discourage sign-ups, logically increasing the uninsured population under the bill.
Senate Medicaid Bill Challenges
- Senate Finance Committee faces tough negotiations on Medicaid provisions like work requirement timing.
- Key Senators like Murkowski and Collins express concerns about the bill's Medicaid financing changes and implementation readiness.