Health

 NPR - Nearly 12 million people would lose their health insurance under President Trump's "big, beautiful bill," an erosion of the social safety net that would lead to more unmanaged chronic illnesses, higher medical debt and overcrowding of hospital emergency departments.

The changes in the Senate version of the bill could wipe out most of the health coverage gains made under the Affordable Care Act and slash state support for Medicaid and SNAP.

The stakes are huge for low-income and working-class Americans who depend on Medicaid and subsidized ACA coverage.

• Without health coverage, more people with diabetes, heart disease, asthma and other chronic conditions will likely go without checkups and medication to keep their ailments in check.
• Those who try to keep up will pay more out of pocket, driving up medical debt and increasing the risk of eviction, food insecurity and depleted savings.
• Uninsured patients have worse cancer survival outcomes and are less likely to get prenatal care. Medicaid also is a major payer of behavioral health counseling and crisis intervention.

The Medicaid and ACA changes will also affect people who keep their coverage.

• The anticipated drop-off in preventive care means the uninsured will be more likely to go to the emergency room when they get sick. That could further crowd ERs, resulting in even longer wait times.

The White House and GOP proponents of the bill say the health care changes will address fraud, waste and abuse, and argue that coverage loss projections are overblown.  More