Pa. leaders decry Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill,’ warning it could strip Medicaid from 310,000 residents

Critics and health policy experts consider the GOP legislation the largest roll back of health care and food assistance in U.S. history.

• Kenny Cooper/WHYY
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Kenny Cooper is WHYY’s suburban reporter covering Montgomery and Delaware counties. He joined WHYY in November 2020. As a native of Montgomery County, Pa, Kenny graduated in 2020 from Temple University with a BA in journalism and political science.
  
  Prior to WHYY, he covered Pennsylvania state politics through an Election SOS fellowship at the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. In early 2020, Kenny was selected to be a participant in the POLITICO Journalism Institute. He has interned at numerous news outlets including CNN, NBC News & MSNBC, NBC Sports Philadelphia, and Fox 29.

 Jeremy Long / WITF

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. pictured on Monday July 3, 2023

House Republicans narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s spending and tax cut bill Thursday afternoon despite unified Democratic opposition and two GOP holdouts.

Trump is expected to sign his “one big beautiful bill” into law by the Fourth of July. Supporters  tout it as a major legislative accomplishment — an encapsulation of Trump’s agenda, which includes major tax breaks and a funding boost for his immigration crackdown.

Corporations and wealthy households would gain the most from the tax breaks. To offset the loss of tax revenue, Trump’s bill is making $1.1 trillion in cuts to healthcare programs such as Medicaid and $230 billion in cuts to Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, over the next decade.

Critics and health policy experts consider the bill the largest roll back of health care and food assistance in U.S. history. Nationwide, more than 11.8 million people could become uninsured by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The bill will also add $3.3 trillion to the national debt.

How Trump’s bill could impact Pennsylvania

According to Gov. Josh Shapiro, 310,000 Pennsylvanians could lose Medicaid coverage and 144,000 Pennsylvanians could lose food assistance through SNAP. Shapiro released a state breakdown by congressional district to show the impact.

Here’s how Shapiro’s office says the bill would affect Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties:

Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District:

• 10,827 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 2,027 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District:

• 36,198 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 21,857 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District:

• 30,177 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 20,899 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District:

• 10,569 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 2,115 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District:

• 19,285 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 8,284 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District:

• 13,421 Pennsylvanians will lose Medicaid coverage
• 3,639 Pennsylvanians will lose SNAP benefits

In a post on X, Shapiro shamed Republicans for threatening social services for Pennsylvanians and putting rural hospitals at risk of closure.

“This bill is Washington at its worst — and it is going to hurt our Commonwealth for years to come,” Shapiro said. “These members voted for this legislation with eyes wide open — and the consequences are on them.”

GOP leaders have asserted that the new work requirements and changes to Medicaid will limit waste, fraud and abuse. After the bill passed the Senate, Republican Sen. Dave McCormick said on X that families and workers across the commonwealth will benefit from it.

“Most importantly, this bill stops the largest tax increase in American history by making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, saving the average Pennsylvania family $2,500 each year while also giving workers no tax on tips and no tax on overtime,” McCormick said, adding that “no bill is perfect.”

Reaction from Pennsylvania lawmakers

Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation mostly voted along party lines with U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Bucks County, aligning with Democrats in staunch opposition. In a press release, he said the Senate provisions “altered the analysis” for his constituents.

“The original House language was written in a way that protected our community; the Senate amendments fell short of our standard. I believe in, and will always fight for, policies that are thoughtful, compassionate, and good for our community,” Fitzpatrick said. “It is this standard that will always guide my legislative decisions.”

U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia, ripped what he called the “Reverse Robin Hood” bill in a statement shortly after the House vote.

“Trump and his House Republican enablers’ bill will pile on work documentation requirements – basically, more paperwork – that will kick millions of Americans off Medicaid,” Evans said. “This program is vital for kids, seniors, and many people who are unable to work because of disabilities, illness, school, or serving as a caregiver for children or other relatives.”

U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Delaware County, called GOP justification of the bill “lies.”

In a statement, she highlighted the impact on health care institutions in Pennsylvania, many of which serve low-income and rural communities.

“This morning, the first of many medical centers announced that it would close as a result of the looming cuts in this bill,” Scanlon said. “Many more will close and be forced to cut back services, as will hospitals and nursing homes here and across the country. Because of the bill’s cuts to the ACA, costs will go up for premiums, deductibles, and copays–even for people with private insurance. All so millionaires and billionaires and Fortune 500 companies can pay less in taxes. Who in their right mind thinks this is a fair deal for the American people? It is indefensible, morally and economically.”

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Montgomery County, took to X to bash the bill.

“At a time when too many Americans struggle to afford basic goods, Republicans chose to appease their rich friends while the poorest among us pay,” Dean said.

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