Chicago – May 04, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump is open to the idea of adding work requirements for people who receive Medicaid, according to Jason Smith, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. This comes as lawmakers discuss ways to reduce government spending to help pay for a large tax-cut bill they want to pass by July 4.
Medicaid, which helps provide healthcare to 83 million low-income people, is funded by both the federal government and state governments. Some Republicans in Congress believe that one way to save money is by requiring adults to work in order to qualify for Medicaid.
Smith said that President Trump does not want to cut benefits for people on Medicaid or Medicare. Instead, Trump is interested in finding ways to make the programs more efficient and is open to the idea of adding work requirements for some Medicaid recipients.
House Republicans who support spending cuts are looking at Medicaid as one program to reduce federal spending. They want to cut as much as $2 trillion in the next 10 years to help pay for the cost of extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. However, this could lead to an additional $5.8 trillion in debt over the next decade.
There are differences within the Republican Party about how to proceed with Medicaid. Many people on Medicaid already work full- or part-time jobs, and most of the ones who don’t work are caregivers or disabled. A study by the Urban Institute suggests that if a work requirement is added, up to 5.2 million adults aged 19 to 55 could lose their Medicaid coverage.
Other welfare programs, like food stamps (SNAP), already have work requirements, and Republicans are considering expanding these rules for SNAP to reduce government spending.
When asked about the tax bill’s impact on high-income individuals, Smith said that the focus of the bill is on providing tax relief for small businesses, working families, and farmers.
