The big beautiful bill – “a win for the American people”?

Image - Andy Feliciotti

This article was originally published on Jul 9, 2025.

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At the heart of the harm are deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), further proof of the Trump administration’s disregard for basic human rights and its role in deepening inequality – unsurprisingly.

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Trump claims this is “the most pro-family legislation ever,” yet it slashes nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid. Over 71 million Americans depend on Medicaid, and 40 million rely on SNAP. These cuts will spike food insecurity, worsen public health, and leave an estimated 11 million without insurance by 2034. It’s the most devastating blow to America’s healthcare system in a long time, with ripple effects including preventable deaths, lost jobs in agriculture and retail, and economic decline.

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Republicans justify the bill by falsely claiming it stops undocumented immigrants from receiving Medicaid—even though according to the eligibility policy, only “citizens of the United States or certain qualified non-citizens, such as lawful permanent residents” are eligible to receive Medicaid, which excludes undocumented immigrants. The real victims are low-income Americans, many of whom struggle with disabilities, job scarcity, or lack of transportation, making Medicaid’s 80-hour monthly work requirement impossible to meet consistently.

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Vice President JD Vance dismisses these concerns, calling Medicaid policy “minutiae” compared to other provisions, like ICE funding, not showing empathy to people who might be affected by this bill at all. Meanwhile, anxiety spreads among beneficiaries, as many express concerns about not knowing what to do or how to keep their Medicaid due to an inability to work. A large number of mental health facilities serve patients funded by Medicaid, so with these facilities losing funding, more mental health patients will be left untreated, further overwhelming mental healthcare providers. Beyond this, economist Heather Boushey warns of the risk that over 300 rural hospitals could face closure due to losing patients as a result of this bill, and how the inequality between rich and poor will grow even wider.

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On top of that, the cuts won’t just hurt Medicaid recipients — they also raise costs for insured individuals, as reduced funding will increase hospitals' uncompensated care and strain the entire healthcare system.

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With this bill, the Trump administration isn't just reinforcing healthcare as a purchasable commodity (which it already was in the U.S.), but elevating it to a luxury status. Healthcare as a basic human right shouldn't be a privilege, nor should access to it be exclusive to the wealthy - particularly in one of the world's richest and most developed nations.