Big Beautiful Medicaid Cuts
During his campaign, Donald Trump promised that he would not touch Medicaid, assuring Americans that their healthcare would remain safe under his administration. However, the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) contradicted that claim, introducing substantial cuts to both Medicaid and Medicare. The Republican Party has long sought to demonize those relying on these programs, painting them as lazy and entitled. Meanwhile, many seniors and poor people, the most vulnerable among the Medicaid and Medicare populations, have been arrested while protesting the loss of their health benefits. The BBB’s cuts aren’t limited to Medicaid; Medicare, which serves millions of older Americans, faces major reductions as well, leaving many to fight desperately for their right to affordable care. The impact of these cuts is far-reaching, and their consequences threaten the health and well-being of millions of Americans.
Senior citizens in wheelchairs are getting arrested for protesting the Medicaid cuts at Capitol Hill.
On June 25, 2025, Capitol Police zip-tied and arrested senior citizens in wheelchairs during a protest against proposed Republican-led Medicaid cuts inside the Russell Senate Office Building. The protest was organized by Popular Democracy in Action, SEIU, and Planned Parenthood, with demonstrators warning that cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security would endanger lives. Capitol Police defended the arrests, stating that all detainees are restrained regardless of age or disability if they violate laws on where protests are permitted. Critics, including advocacy groups and social media users, condemned the police response as excessive and dehumanizing. Thirty-three people were arrested during the demonstration.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson mocks millions who could lose medicaid - “Do something Constructive”
On June 24, 2025, House Speaker Mike Johnson defended massive Medicaid cuts in Donald Trump’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill,” which pairs tax breaks for the wealthy with stricter requirements for low-income Americans to retain health coverage. Johnson mocked critics and millions at risk of losing coverage, saying those on Medicaid should “do something constructive” and help “pull the public wagon.” The bill imposes work or volunteer requirements of 20 hours per week for adults under 65, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will remove 10.3 million people from Medicaid. Critics argue many affected already work, act as caregivers, or are unable to meet bureaucratic demands. The bill would also block many who lose Medicaid from getting subsidized private insurance, likely leaving them completely uninsured.
Supreme court says states can block Medicaid money for health care at Planned Parenthood.
On June 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that states can block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds for non-abortion health services like contraception and cancer screenings. The decision ends the ability of patients to sue states under federal Medicaid law to keep Planned Parenthod as a provider, weakening access to care for low-income individuals.
The case originated in South Carolina, where a patient sued after the state tried to defund Planned Parenthood in 2018. While Medicaid doesn't fund abortions, many patients rely on Planned Parenthood for other care due to limited provider availability. The ruling empowers states to defund the organization without being challenged in court by patients.
Critics, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in her dissent, warned the decision strips vulnerable patients of their right to choose their healthcare provider and may lead to reduced access to care. Planned Parenthood and public health advocates fear the ruling could trigger further restrictions nationwide and exacerbate healthcare gaps, especially in rural or underserved areas.
President of the Family Research Council said that gutting Medicaid is what Jesus would want.
According to president of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, Isaiah 59 warns that when truth collapses, justice and fairness become impossible, a warning that resonates with today’s debates over Medicaid reform. Senator Elizabeth Warren claims that a proposed reconciliation bill would strip health care from millions to benefit the wealthy, but others argue it simply requires able-bodied individuals to work rather than rely indefinitely on public assistance. Citing biblical principles and economic concerns, the argument is made that accountability is necessary, especially with the national debt nearing $37 trillion. Perkins states that in Ohio, a probe found that nearly 30% of Medicaid recipients were ineligible, including some with assets far above legal limits. The unchecked growth of Medicaid is partly attributed to the federal government covering most of the cost, reducing states’ incentives to enforce eligibility rules. In other words, according to Perkins' flavor of Christianity, healthcare is not a human right, and those who are unemployed do not deserve it.