MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — Advocates for people with disabilities have concerns about changes to Medicaid.
House Republicans late Sunday voted to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would extend President Trump’s tax cuts while reforming Medicaid. Beth Swedeen with the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities says many optional Medicaid programs could be eliminated.
“And those are the ones that are the most cost effective because they’re keeping people out of costly facilities and keeping them healthy and safe at home,” Swedeen said.
That’s not the way Republicans are pitching the bill.
“It’s being sold as something to get able bodied people who should be working into work, but less than 8% of the Medicaid population is people who aren’t working and also don’t have a disability or aren’t a kid,” Swedeen said.
The Big Beautiful Bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where some Republicans say it will add to the federal deficit, and others fear Medicaid cuts will hurt working Americans.