Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly claimed during congressional hearings that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act did not cut Medicaid spending. However, independent budget analysts and healthcare policy experts say that characterization is misleading.
According to FactCheck.org, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the law would reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $900 billion over the next decade. Kennedy nevertheless argued there were “no cuts to Medicaid” because total Medicaid spending is still projected to increase over time.
Kennedy based his argument on a CBO projection showing Medicaid spending would rise approximately 47% over ten years. But healthcare economists say that overall spending growth does not mean cuts did not occur. Medicaid costs naturally rise over time because of inflation, healthcare costs, and population changes. Experts explained that spending would have increased even more without the legislation.
Michael S. Sparer, chair of Columbia University’s health policy and management department, told FactCheck.org that the argument is misleading because projected Medicaid spending is substantially lower than it would have been under prior law. Georgetown University health policy expert Edwin Park similarly described the reasoning as a common political tactic used to downplay reductions in government programs.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced several Medicaid-related changes, including stricter eligibility verification rules and new work requirements for many recipients. Independent analyses estimated these provisions would reduce enrollment and leave millions of Americans without health insurance coverage over time.
The Trump administration defended the changes as reforms aimed at reducing waste, fraud, and abuse rather than eliminating healthcare access. HHS officials argued that the law was intended to preserve Medicaid for eligible recipients while controlling costs.
However, FactCheck.org concluded that Kennedy’s claim that there were “no cuts” to Medicaid was inaccurate because the legislation significantly reduced projected federal Medicaid spending compared with previous baseline forecasts.
Final Verdict: Misleading
References:
https://www.factcheck.org/2026/05/kennedy-denies-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-acts-spending-cuts-to-medicaid/
https://apnews.com/article/320d81927079712b3e802d4e93d9f73e
https://apnews.com/article/561a806e55d9cb42b719edf4951bbcf9
https://www.factcheck.org/2025/05/checking-the-math-on-white-house-gop-claims-about-big-beautiful-bill/