HEALTH AFFAIRS FOREFRONT: Senate Republicans Unveil Budget Reconciliation Package: Unpacking The Coverage Provisions
The Senate released their version of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," making even deeper Medicaid cuts than the House version while maintaining work requirements and new eligibility restrictions. The Senate draft would permanently prohibit implementation of Biden-era rules that streamlined Medicaid enrollment and imposed minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Key changes include reducing retroactive Medicaid coverage from three months to one-two months, barring lawfully present immigrants from premium tax credits, and appropriating $200 million for states to implement work requirements by 2026.
