Montana Budget and Policy Center is deeply alarmed by the Senate's passage of legislation that slashes funding for Medicaid and SNAP, programs essential to thousands of Montanans' health and food security.
The Senate's version of the “Big, Beautiful Bill” is even more damaging than the version previously passed by the House. Nonpartisan estimates show it will add $3 trillion to the national debt and could cause 17 million Americans to lose health insurance.
Despite claims of addressing waste or fraud, this bill imposes harsh and unnecessary red tape that will strip health coverage and food assistance from people who are already working, in school, or unable to work due to caregiving responsibilities or disability. Recent estimates project that roughly 30,000 Montanans could lose Medicaid coverage as a result. Using layers of bureaucracy to harm some of our most vulnerable neighbors is not fiscal responsibility; it's cruelty.
This bill also threatens the well-being of the 77,000 Montanans who purchase insurance through the Marketplace. Without critical premium assistance, health insurance will become unaffordable, or entirely out of reach, for many. When Montanans lose coverage, it drives up uncompensated care, raises premiums for others, and strains our rural hospitals and health care systems.
But 77,000 isn't just a number. It represents the small business owners in our downtowns, the farmers at our weekend markets, and the working families in every Montana community.
Rather than undermining vital public services, Congress should focus on responsible fiscal policy that invests in the health, well-being, and economic opportunity of everyone, not just the wealthiest few. We call on the House of Representatives, including Reps. Zinke and Downing, to reject this bill..
MBPC is a nonprofit organization focused on providing credible and timely research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues that impact low- and moderate-income Montana families.