| Hello John, Over the last decade, ineligible Medicaid enrollees have cost U.S. taxpayers $1.1 trillion. You read that right. $1.1 trillion. This type of waste, fraud, and abuse has robbed Medicaid of resources that should be going to help the most vulnerable patients — pregnant women, children, seniors, and the disabled. Make no mistake: The Medicaid program is rife with waste, fraud, and abuse. And Medicaid’s financing scheme favors able-bodied, working-age adults over the traditional Medicaid population of pregnant women, children, seniors, and the disabled — with disastrous results. Recall that Obamacare expanded Medicaid coverage to everyone who makes less than 138% of the poverty level, adding 17 million new enrollees to an already strained program. This expansion population is mostly able-bodied, working-age adults without children. But here’s the real kicker: Obamacare gives states $9 in federal funding for every $1 states spend on this new group of enrollees. What do states get for every dollar they spend to cover Medicaid’s traditional population of pregnant women, children, the elderly, and the disabled? Just $1.33. If states get $9 for one group and $1.33 for the other, which do you think they will prioritize? This completely backward bias in favor of able-bodied adults has made it: - Harder for expecting mothers, children, and the disabled to access care,
- has increased costs,
- and led to more fraud in the program.
The One Big Beautiful Bill begins addressing these abuses by requiring states to better screen Medicaid enrollees and immediately end coverage for those ineligible for the program. This provision alone would save hardworking Americans $58 billion over 10 years. Of course, opponents of Trump’s OBBB claim that this amounts to a “cut” to Medicaid. But the only folks who would lose coverage are those who do not qualify for the program and should not be on it in the first place! Americans are generous and compassionate, but they should not be played for suckers. Let’s do better at making sure those getting Medicaid deserve it. In the meantime, I want to thank you and all the other grassroots champions who worked with AFP to get this bill passed. Please take a moment to watch this short video on how activists like you helped pass a bill that will have a positive impact on health care in this country for decades to come. | 
