In the early hours of this morning (May 22), the federal House of Representatives voted to pass the Trump administration’s bill that includes significant cuts to programs including Medicaid. It now moves to the Senate.
We are deeply concerned about this proposal. Its text makes harmful changes to long-standing and life-changing supports and services for individuals with IDD and autism and their families.
This bill includes nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. The ripple effects of this are massive. States will have to make hard choices and significant cuts. Hospitals will be impacted and may have to raise rates. And by 2034, an estimated 7.6 million Americans stand to be uninsured.
This bill also adds work requirement and frequent eligibility/redetermination checks, which would likely begin in 2027. Work requirements have been proven unhelpful and disregard the reality that the majority of Medicaid recipients do work. In late 2027, the reductions in federal matching rate (FMAP) for Medicaid expansion states like Massachusetts will take effect.
States like Massachusetts will have unique impacts, and as this bill moves through the Senate, we will continue to analyze it and share more detailed information.
Our Governor and state legislature must stand strong alongside The Arc and our community to protect services that keep people with IDD and autism safe and thriving in the community. We will continue to advocate fiercely to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are prioritized.
