Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' slammed for demanding able-bodied people work to avail Medicaid

A major feature of the bill is the introduction of work requirements for Medicaid

PUBLISHED MAY 22, 2025

Able-bodied adults aged 19 to 55 would need to work, volunteer, or attend school for at least 80 hours per month to keep their health coverage.

Washington D.C.: The U.S. social safety net faces sweeping changes if the House-passed budget bill championed by President Donald Trump becomes law.

Approved by a razor-thin 215-214 margin, the bill proposes major changes to Medicaid and food assistance, while expanding tax breaks for Americans. It now heads to the Senate for further debate.

A major feature of the bill is the introduction of work requirements for Medicaid. Able-bodied adults aged 19 to 55 would need to work, volunteer, or attend school for at least 80 hours per month to keep their health coverage, with exemptions for pregnant individuals, full-time students, and primary caregivers.

States would oversee enforcement, but millions could lose coverage if they fail to meet the requirements. Critics warn this could particularly hurt rural hospitals and vulnerable low-income Americans.

But the bill's supporters contend that Medicaid has expanded far beyond its original intent and should be refocused on providing only basic health coverage for the most vulnerable Americans.

ALSO READ

Controversial Enhanced Games promises tons of world records, and loads of asterisks as well

Staggering cost of retrofitting Qatari 747 revealed, and Trump may never even be able to use it

They argue that introducing work requirements for able-bodied adults will encourage employment and self-sufficiency, ensuring that resources are reserved for those who truly need them. Supporters also claim that stricter eligibility checks will help root out fraud and abuse in the program

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would also see stricter work rules. Now, able-bodied adults without dependents up to age 54 must meet work or training requirements to retain benefits, with limited exceptions. States’ flexibility to waive these requirements in high-unemployment areas would be reduced.

Beyond Medicaid and SNAP, the bill seeks to defund Planned Parenthood, blocking Medicaid reimbursements for any services at clinics providing abortions—even though federal funds already cannot be used for abortion. Supporters argue this will save money, but critics say it will cut access to essential health care for millions of low-income women.

Additionally, the bill restricts federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender adults and much more controversially, children.

Supporters of the bill emphasize that the overall package, which includes these cuts, is designed to offset the cost of extending Trump-era tax cuts, which they say benefit families and stimulate economic growth.