Johnson says 4.8 million Americans won't lose Medicaid access ‘unless they choose to do so'

The Hill

2 days ago

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) doubled down on his claim that there won't be Medicaid cuts in President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' despite projections that millions of low-income individuals would lose health insurance as a result of the bill.
Johnson, during an appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' pushed back on independent projections that the bill would lead to 4.8 million who would lose coverage because of work requirements, saying they won't lose it 'unless they choose to do so.'
'Those 4.8 million people will not lose their Medicaid unless they choose to do so,' he told host Kristen Welker.
'You're telling me that you're going to require the able-bodied — these young men, for example, okay — to only work or volunteer in their community for 20 hours a week, and that's too cumbersome for them? I'm not buying it. The American people are not buying it.'
He added that the people who are complaining about losing their coverage are doing so 'because they can't fulfill the paperwork,' noting that the policy follows 'common sense.'
'When people work, when able-bodied young men work, it's good for them, for their dignity, their purpose, and it's good for the community,' he said. 'If you can't find a job, then volunteer in your community for 20 hours, and you will meet the requirement.'
The proposed Medicaid and health care reforms would require states to impose work requirements on childless adults aged 19-64 to be eligible for Medicaid. It also aims to shorten the open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, among other changes.
The reforms are key components of the bill, which the House Energy and Commerce Committee crafted after being tasked with finding more than $800 billion in savings over a decade. Those portions of the GOP proposal would save $625 billion over 10 years, according to the CBO.
Johnson said that the bill 'strengthens' Medicaid and said what they are doing is 'an important and frankly heroic thing.'
'It's intended for young, you know, single, pregnant women and the disabled and the elderly,' he said. 'But what's happening right now is you have a lot of people, for example, young men, able bodied workers, who are on Medicaid. They're not working when they can.'
His comments are just the latest assertion from Johnson that the bill won't threaten Medicaid coverage for people who need it.
However, the bill is hitting some roadblocks for Republican lawmakers, who are finding themselves enveloped in criticism at their town halls.