In a town hall meeting, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst commented on President Donald Trump’s proposed bill to fund tax breaks for the wealthy by cutting Medicaid and food assistance programs. When warned about the potential loss of lives due to these cuts, she stated, “Well, we all are going to die.”
The bill, referred to as the “Big Ugly Bill,” poses significant risks to America’s safety net, particularly affecting vulnerable communities in California. The proposed legislation includes six major cuts that could have severe consequences for Californians:
1. Up to 3.4 million Californians may lose their coverage, especially those under the Affordable Care Act expansion.
2. Federal Medicaid funding could be reduced by at least $22 billion through job loss penalties on low-income adults.
3. States like California using state funds for non-emergency benefits for undocumented residents may see federal support cut by at least $4 billion annually.
4. Funding mechanisms crucial for hospitals and providers across California could face restrictions leading to billions in losses.
5. Nonprofit providers such as Planned Parenthood might be shut down due to being cut off from Medicaid funding.
6. Federal funding for SNAP in California might decrease by $2.3 to $4.9 billion annually, potentially impacting at least 250,000 recipients.
Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the impacts of this bill on the MeidasTouch Network: “No state, incidentally, has more to lose on that. 3.4 million Americans will lose support if that bill passes in its existent form in the United States Senate, here in California.”
