Who Is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Beautiful For? Not US!

The controversial One Big Beautiful Bill Act was sponsored by Texas Congressman Jodey Arrington. We’ve seen elected officials boasting about how beautiful it is. Who is it really beautiful for? Whenever there is excitement about legislation supposedly for the people and offering bold changes and reforms, individuals needing the most resources aren’t prioritized. They end up targeted. So, I decided to focus on them as I delved into this ACT. Unsurprisingly, the “reforms” mentioned signify a lot of red tape for individuals relying on safety net programs. These “reforms” are not “beautiful” at all for over 66 million people who were enrolled in Medicare, according to Medicare.gov , the 71,258,215 people who were enrolled in Medicaid from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid, the 41 million people nationwide in 2024 who were on SNAP according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. “In Texas, more than 76% of SNAP participants consist of families with children; more than 30% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled; and more than 46% are in working families.Yes, there are working families who earn so little they actually qualify for food stamps because wages are low, the skyrocketing costs for utilities, child-care, housing expenses, and more. 
https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/a-closer-look-at-who-benefits-from-snap-state-by-state-fac t-sheets#Texas 
What happens when YOU get older? People may not be able to live independently. Will you have to reside in a nursing home? Nursing Homes are funded primarily through Medicaid, Medicare for skilled nursing services, Long-term Care Insurance, and private payers. They are costly! Now remember, this bill cut funding and removed the automatic streamlining process for individuals on Medicare, SNAP, and Medicaid which would have automatically enrolled them in these programs and additional cost-saving programs. If you’re a member of a SNAP household, your benefits will decrease due to the significant budgetary cuts. Work requirements or community engagement activities of 80 hours per month are now expected for individuals 55 to 64 years old, parents of minor children ages 14 and up, and veterans. There are some exceptions. “As a result of the staggering cuts to Medicaid more than 300 rural hospitals are currently at “immediate risk” of closure, especially now that the OBBBA is projected to cut Medicaid spending by $1.02 trillion”. People who have been diagnosed with Intellectual Disabilities will be unable to afford their medications. Lack of access to mood stabilizing prescriptions will cause a mental health crisis from psychosis, manic disorders, or depression leading to interactions with law enforcement. Unhoused people having to submit documentation and not being alerted about their case status will be removed from these programs. Those arrested would have to get mental health treatment from jails because of the budget cuts to community based programs, supports, and services to keep them from inside of institutions. This shouldn’t be the case at all. Our government is currently working to give 40 billion dollars to Argentina and will not give food aid to the poorest of Americans who rely on food assistance by not tapping into our contingency reserves during the shutdown. We need to have a closer look at those elected into power. Officials should have invested in crucial and critical programs to address homelessness prevention programs, mental health programs, substance abuse and treatment programs, infrastructure, climate initiatives, the National Weather Service, domestic violence programs, supporting youth aging out of foster care, and also helping to solve food insecurity but they didn’t. The realization is millions will lose their healthcare, food assistance, be removed from nursing homes, and lose much needed Long-Term Care Supports. Alarms and warnings were sent regarding Project 2025. Here is a tracker to see the progress that has been made on those priorities. https://www.project2025.observer/en. Politics will always impact you! Don’t just hope legislators will vote in your best interest. You must take action, get involved, and vote! Vote during all elections including special elections, primaries, and general elections. Do not wait and just vote every four years. Your lives literally depend on it. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-truth-about-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-acts-cuts-to-medicaid -and-medicare/

By: Joy Davis