A fight over Medicaid cuts is threatening GOP plans for Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
(NPR) Republican divisions over changes to Medicaid — the federal health care program for poor, elderly and disabled Americans — are becoming the chief hurdle to getting President Trump's major tax, immigration and energy agenda through Congress.
GOP lawmakers who represent swing districts insist they will not vote for any proposal that strips benefits. But conservatives are demanding deep cuts in spending, and say restructuring Medicaid is one of the clearest ways to achieve that goal.
Driving this discussion is a math issue. To get the bill through Congress, House Republicans are working with a budget blueprint that forces them to find $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to help offset the cost of extending President Trump's 2017 tax cuts. They are also hoping to add new tax cuts that Trump campaigned on, like exempting taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits.
Republicans want to finalize their plans next week in hopes of sending the package over to the Senate by Memorial Day. But in addition to the fight over Medicaid, the party is grappling with a host of other issues, including whether all of the Trump tax cuts will be renewed, food-assistance for low-income families and a controversial deduction for state and local taxes, or SALT.
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/09/nx-s1-5392357/republicans-medicaid-trump-reconciliation-bill