On July 4, 2025, President Trump enacted a sweeping law that will deliver devastating cuts and fundamental changes to critical programs relied upon by millions of Americans, with particularly adverse consequences for the disability community. At a high level, this includes $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts (the largest in the program’s history), $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and several policy and eligibility changes. This will significantly impact people, families, providers, and states, who rely on funding from the federal government.
States like Massachusetts will have unique impacts, but it is important to note that no changes have been made yet to MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid program. Cuts will not come in one fell swoop. Changes will come through eligibility adjustments, paperwork requirements, and the state’s financial reality. We will continue to work closely with our state leaders to ensure that we are doing all that we can to blunt the worst of these cuts.
The Arc of Massachusetts is here to help make sense of this law, to answer questions, to support our community, and to keep up the advocacy. This bill moved through Congress and became law relatively quickly, which has led to confusion and misinformation. There is no doubt that this law will hurt those who need Medicaid most, including people with disabilities.
Though this is now officially law, not all provisions take effect immediately. We will continue to share more information, particularly as implementation gets underway and if there are any changes. This document includes an overview of the law’s relevant provisions and offers guidance on how to stay engaged in this work.
