House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) defended the House-passed "big, beautiful bill" that funds President Trump's agenda during a Sunday appearance on CNN, arguing that it won't threaten Medicaid coverage for people who need it, despite independent analysis that suggests it will end health insurance for millions.
"We are not cutting Medicaid in this package," Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper. "There's a lot of misinformation out there about this."
The independent Congressional Budget Office has estimated that nearly 8 million Americans will lose health care coverage in the coming decade through changes made in the massive domestic policy measure House Republicans narrowly passed in an early morning vote Thursday after an overnight session.
Trump, himself, warned Republicans not to "f‑‑‑ with Medicaid" during a trip to the Capitol on Tuesday to press lawmakers on his sweeping agenda measure dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The Medicaid portions of the GOP proposal would save $625 billion over a 10-year period, according to the CBO, as Republicans try to whittle away more than $880 billion in spending.
Johnson told Tapper that the only people who will lose coverage are those who are defrauding the program. The biggest Medicaid savings in the bill would come from new eligibility requirements for childless adults ages 19 to 64, who would have to work, go to school or volunteer for 80 hours a month to stay on the rolls.
"You're talking about 4.8 million able bodied workers, young men, for example, who are on Medicaid and not working — they are choosing not to work when they can," Johnson said. "That is called fraud; they are cheating the system."
"When you root out those kinds of abuses, you save the resources that are so desperately needed by the people who deserve it and need it most," he added.
Johnson defended the new work requirements as a protective measure to save the program in the long run.
"This is not some huge demand — if you're going to be on the public wagon, you have to do something to help pull it, if you're able," he said.
He also acknowledged that the new requirements would impact people in his own Northwest Louisiana district.
"I'll go into any town hall anywhere in America, my district or otherwise, and explain this," he said. "We are the party about that supports human dignity, and we find purpose and dignity in our work: It's good for the individuals involved; it's good for their community; it's good for society at large."
Some senators, including Republicans, already have voiced objections to the House version of the bill as it heads to the upper chamber for vetting.
Johnson said that Republicans are pushing quick passage by Independence Day to give American voters time to see the impact of the legislation before the 2026 midterm cycle when Republicans and Democrats battle for control of Congress for the final half of Trump's second term.
"We're anxious to get this signed into law so people feel it and see it before that midterm election, and they understand it is the Republicans who are doing the best for hardworking Americans, low-income families and everyone who deserves a better shot," Johnson said.
However, most of the Medicaid coverage cuts in the House version of the bill would not go into effect until 2028, well after the midterm elections.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Johnson denies 'big, beautiful bill' threatens Medicaid coverage )
Also on site :