Bill would harm Medicaid, SNAP

To the Editor:

   Iowa residents need to pay attention to what your US senators and representatives are doing.

   The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed by the House and in debate in the Senate, contains several provisions that would impact Medicare, including cuts to some programs. The Trump-backed bill is expected to add between $2 trillion to $3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. It is also expected to increase the number of uninsured people nationwide by at least 7.6 million by 2034.

   The cost of the pending legislation would trigger automatic cuts to Medicare and some other programs. Without Congressional intervention, Medicare payments would be reduced by 4 percent, resulting in a $500 billion cut over eight years, beginning in 2026.

   The bill would cut an estimated $625 billion from the public insurance program, which provides coverage for more than 71 million Americans. The cuts to SNAP, also known as food stamps, would tally up to $300 billion over the next 10 years.

   Under the bill, much of these costs would instead be shifted to the states. Iowa Health and Human Services estimates nearly 703,000 Iowans were enrolled in the Medicaid program between October and December 2024. State data also show the cost of Iowa’s program in state fiscal year 2024 was $6.6 billion.

   The state’s Medicaid program, administered by the Iowa Medicaid Enterprize, provides coverage to low-income adults, children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with disabilities.

   According to KFF, a health information nonprofit, Iowa would lose $518 million in federal funding, which is a 25 percent cut to its state  spending per resident. Based on that funding loss, KFF estimates more than 86,000 would lose their Medicaid coverage.

   Experts have also said cuts to the program likely will mean rates of individuals without health insurance will increase. Another KFF analysis also estimated around 56,000 people in Iowa would become uninsured if the House’s bill is passed as currently written. Higher uninsured rates among Iowa patients will have the greatest repercussions on safety net health care providers and rural health care systems, which are already caring for a higher percentage of uninsured or underinsured patients. Nearly 260,000 Iowans were enrolled in SNAP as of fiscal year 2024.

   An estimate from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that Iowa would be responsible for at least $26 million of program costs by fiscal year 2028. At the highest share, Iowa could face an additional $131 million in financial burden.

   So who voted for this bill? Both US senators from Iowa (Ernst and Grassley), as well as all four representatives (Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Zach Nunn). Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has also endorsed the bill. Iowa has no Democrat or Independent representing the state in the federal Legislature.

   Information for this letter was drawn from the Kiplinger Report, the Des Moines Register, the KFF Organization, and the Tax Foundation.

Danny C. Saunders, Independent

Monticello