Former President Barack Obama has opposed Republican efforts to scale back major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a recent social media post, urging voters to call their Senators to voice their resistance.
What Happened: In a post on X, Obama wrote, "Here's something everybody should be paying attention to: Congressional Republicans are trying to weaken the Affordable Care Act and put millions of people at risk of losing their health care.
Call your Senators and tell them we can’t let that happen." He also attached a Washington Post article explaining how President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" is making way for reduced health insurance coverage for millions in the United States.
Why It Matters: The GOP Bill, which made its way through Congress and is now being debated in the Senate, aims to reduce federal health spending by introducing changes to Medicaid and ACA insurance marketplaces.
These revisions could reduce enrolment in public health programs by more than 10 million people over the next decade. The changes wouldn't dismantle the ACA outright but would restrict eligibility, impose more frequent verification checks, shorten enrolment windows, and delay regulatory updates intended to simplify access.
The plan would also add work requirements for certain Medicaid enrolees and limit state mechanisms that increase federal matching funds. "It is very much like a backdoor repeal and replace," said Matt Salo, former executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. The Congressional Budget Office projects that 7.6 million fewer people would be on Medicaid and 3.1 million fewer on ACA plans if the legislation is enacted.
Meanwhile, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought dismissed fears about Medicaid cuts as “ridiculous,” and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued that those who lose Medicaid will do so by personal choice.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said the proposed eligibility requirements are not about withdrawing care but about making sure the program survives long-term.
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