Millions of low-income Americans could soon lose access to SNAP food assistance and Medicaid coverage.
These benefits are threatened under a sweeping Republican proposal backed by President Donald Trump.
The plan, currently moving through the House of Representatives, is part of a broader Trump-endorsed package to renew and expand the 2017 tax cuts.
Tucked into the legislative language are key provisions that would dramatically overhaul safety net programs — tightening eligibility, increasing work requirements, and slashing benefits.
The changes, critics argue, amount to deep social spending cuts under the guise of fiscal responsibility.
SNAP and Medicaid in the Crosshairs
The bill includes revised guidelines for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.
The proposed revisions would raise the age of mandatory work requirements from 50 to 64 — a dramatic shift that could disqualify millions of older, unemployed or underemployed Americans.
“This is a direct attack on the working poor and seniors who rely on these programs to survive,” said Lauren Bauer, a fellow at the Brookings Institution focused on social policy.
“The idea that people in their 60s should be pushed off food aid unless they’re working at least 30 hours a week ignores economic and physical realities.”
The GOP measure would also allow states more power to impose stricter eligibility requirements for Medicaid.
This includes asset tests and mandatory employment documentation — changes that could result in millions losing health coverage, especially in states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
A ‘Fiscal Responsibility’ Play — or an Ideological Shift?
House Republicans argue the legislation is a long-overdue realignment of federal spending priorities.
“We can’t just keep handing out benefits without accountability,” said Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“Our reforms will ensure that these programs are there for those who truly need them — and only them.”
But the move comes amid a broader Trump-era push to reassert conservative control over federal assistance programs, with Trump himself framing the changes as part of a strategy to “incentivize work” and reduce what he calls the “dependency state.”
In a Truth Social post last week, Trump said the plan would “restore dignity to work and reward families who contribute, not just collect.”
He added that the expanded 2017 tax cuts would be “paid for” in part by “trimming waste and fraud from bloated welfare programs.”
Hidden Cost to Working Families
According to a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the proposed SNAP and Medicaid changes could affect more than 12 million Americans — including low-wage workers, seniors, and people with disabilities who fall into a policy gray area.
“These are not people sitting at home. These are people working two or three jobs, caring for children, or managing chronic conditions,” said Sharon Parrott, CBPP President.
“Cutting these programs in exchange for more tax breaks is not fiscal discipline — it’s cruelty.”
The Congressional Budget Office has yet to release a final score on the bill’s full impact.
Early estimates suggest billions in reduced spending on SNAP and Medicaid over the next decade — offset by trillions in extended tax cuts, mostly benefiting corporations and top earners.
Democrats Push Back, but Face Steep Odds
House Democrats have vowed to oppose the bill, calling it a “reverse Robin Hood” plan.
“It’s the same Trump playbook,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.). “Take from the most vulnerable to reward the ultra-rich. And they’re doing it while telling people it’s about ‘responsibility.’ It’s unconscionable.”
With Trump leading the GOP ticket and Speaker Mike Johnson aligning closely with his agenda, the bill has a strong chance of clearing the House.
But it faces a tougher battle in the Senate, where Democrats and some moderate Republicans are voicing strong opposition to the safety net provisions.
Still, with government funding negotiations looming this summer, elements of the package — especially related to SNAP and Medicaid — could resurface as bargaining chips in broader budget talks.
As debate intensifies, advocates say the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“For millions of families, this isn’t a policy debate,” said Parrott. “It’s a question of whether they eat, whether they see a doctor — whether they survive.”
MORE COVERAGE: Social Security | SNAP | Medicaid | Trump Administration
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