Democrats attack GOP over Medicare

Democratic campaign ads in multiple congressional races accuse Republican candidates of gutting Medicare and voting for huge cuts to Medicare, citing President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The law's Medicare changes are narrow

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's changes to Medicare are narrow in scope and affect relatively few beneficiaries, though the law includes large cuts to Medicaid, the public insurance program for people with low incomes.

Wisconsin race: Van Orden ad

House Majority PAC claims Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a Wisconsin Republican, was the deciding vote to gut Medicare. His Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke says he voted to make huge cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

Ohio race: Kaptur ad

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat running for reelection in northwestern Ohio, airs an ad claiming her Republican challenger Derek Merrin will cut your Medicare.

New York race: Suozzi ads

In New York's third congressional district covering part of Long Island, Democratic Rep.Tom Suozzi's campaign describes Republican challenger Mike LiPetri as ready to gut Medicare.

Competitive races targeted

The Cook Political Report rates the Wisconsin and Ohio House races as toss ups. New York's third district is rated likely Democratic, though both parties are spending millions on ads there in the closing stretch.

Medicare eligibility for immigrants ends

One provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act ends Medicare eligibility for certain lawfully present immigrants including refugees, asylees and people with Temporary Protected Status, though they still pay into the program through payroll…

Immigrant coverage loss projected

The Congressional Budget Office projects the eligibility change will result in one hundred thousand fewer people having health insurance and reduce Medicare spending by five point one billion dollars over ten years.

Medicare Savings Program rule blocked

Another provision blocks a Biden-era rule aimed at making it easier for low-income Medicare beneficiaries to access financial assistance through Medicaid by streamlining enrollment in Medicare Savings Programs.

Savings Program suspension impact

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the suspension will lead to eight hundred thousand fewer Medicare beneficiaries receiving extra subsidies, saving the government sixty six billion dollars over ten years.

Drug price negotiation exemptions broaden

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act broadens the category of drugs exempt from price negotiations under Medicare.

Expert: changes are marginal

Jack Hoadley, research professor emeritus at Georgetown's McCourt School of Public Policy, says the Medicare changes are important policies but next to Medicaid changes, they are pretty marginal.

“These are important policies. But next to something like the Medicaid changes, they're pretty marginal.”

Automatic cuts could have been triggered

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act could have triggered much larger Medicare cuts under a two thousand ten law requiring automatic spending reductions when Congress passes legislation increasing deficits. Congress subsequently waived those cuts.

PAYGO cuts projected but waived

Under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act projected to add three point four trillion dollars to the deficit over ten years would trigger automatic Medicare cuts totaling forty five billion dollars…

Congress routinely waives automatic cuts

Congress has never allowed Statutory PAYGO cuts to actually go into effect despite passing numerous laws adding to the deficit since twenty ten.

Both parties use the same strategy

In twenty twenty one, a Democratic Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which would have triggered thirty six billion dollars in automatic Medicare cuts in twenty twenty two.

GOP ad twists Pappas vote

A Trump-aligned super PAC ad claims Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas voted to cut Medicare by five hundred billion dollars because he opposed the November twenty twenty five bill that ended the government shutdown and waived…

“Pappas went after seniors' healthcare too, voting to cut Medicare by $500 billion.”

Pappas opposed bill for different reasons

Pappas voted against the November bill because it did not guarantee extension of more generous subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans, not because of PAYGO cuts.