Breaking Down the One Big Beautiful Bill: What It Means for Healthcare

Hello and welcome to the HEAL blog!

Let’s talk about something important that just happened (on July 4th, 2025). A law called The One Big Beautiful Bill was officially signed.

It’s a pretty huge deal and will affect the lives of a lot of Americans. But let’s be real, reading over 1,000 pages of government policy is... not exactly a fun summer activity. So in this post, I’ll break it down and focus on how it affects something super important: healthcare.

What Is the Big Beautiful Bill?

The Big Beautiful Bill is a new law passed by Congress to support President Donald Trump’s plans. It focuses on cutting taxes and reducing how much the government spends. That sounds okay at first, right? But here’s the catch: it also cuts funding from programs that many Americans rely on, especially Medicaid and Medicare. These programs help pay for healthcare, and taking money away from them could hurt a lot of people who need medical care the most.

Quick Refresher: What Are Medicaid and Medicare?

Before diving into how the bill changes things, let’s make sure we know what these programs actually are:

• Medicare mostly helps seniors (65+) and some younger people with disabilities. It covers hospital stays, doctor visits, and medications.

• Medicaid helps low-income families, kids, pregnant women, older adults, and people with disabilities. It pays for doctor visits, emergency care, and sometimes long-term care (like nursing homes).

• There's also CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), which is like Medicaid but for kids specifically.

Together, these programs cover over 150 million people. That’s almost half the country!

How the Big Beautiful Bill Changes Medicaid

This law hits Medicaid the hardest. Here’s how:

• Massive budget cuts: The bill cuts $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. That’s the largest cut ever.

• New work requirements: Starting in 2027, most adults on Medicaid will need to prove they’re working, going to school, or volunteering at least 80 hours a month to stay covered. There are some exceptions (like pregnant people and caregivers), but proving those exceptions can be tough.

• Millions could lose coverage: Experts say over 10 million people could lose Medicaid, and many of them just because of the new work rules.

• Less money for states: States won’t be allowed to raise money the same way anymore, meaning even less funding for care. Rural areas will be hit the hardest, over 300 rural hospitals might close or cut services.

• Higher costs for patients: States can now charge Medicaid users more for services. Even small fees can keep low-income families from going to the doctor.

• Legal immigrants may lose coverage: Some people who are legally living in the U.S, including refugees and asylum seekers, might not qualify anymore, even if they pay taxes.

• Planned Parenthood can’t accept Medicaid: No matter your views on abortion, Planned Parenthood provides cancer screenings, STD testing, and birth control. With this change, many people will lose access to those services.

How the Bill Changes Medicare

Medicare didn’t get directly cut but it still faces problems because of this bill:

• Helpful programs paused: Special programs that help low-income seniors pay for care (called Medicare Savings Programs) are being blocked. About 1.3 million seniors could lose support.

• Possible future cuts: Because the bill increases the federal deficit, something called “sequestration” might kick in. This basically means automatic cuts to government spending. That could take up to $500 billion from Medicare over the next 10 years. If doctors get paid less, they might stop accepting Medicare patients altogether.

What Can You Do?

If you’re a teen, it’s easy to feel like this stuff is out of your hands. But you actually can make a difference.

• Stay informed: Don’t just rely on TikToks or tweets. Read trusted sources like the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) to get the real facts.

• Talk about it: Discuss what you learn with your family, friends, or teachers. Ask how these changes might affect your community.

• Use your voice: Write to local leaders. Join a school club that focuses on healthcare or social justice. Organize a discussion or awareness campaign.

• Keep learning: The more you understand, the more power you have to speak up and create change.

Final Thoughts

The Big Beautiful Bill is complicated, but its effects on healthcare are real and serious. Millions of Americans, especially the most vulnerable, could lose access to medical care. But by staying informed and using your voice, you can help push for a future where healthcare works for everyone.

Written and researched by Brycen W

2025 The HEAL Project